Indiana Republican Party files lawsuit against St. Joseph County Election Board

PLYMOUTH, Ind. -- The Indiana Republican Party, the St. Joseph County Republican Party, and Thomas Dixon, in his capacity as the Republican member of the St. Joseph County Election Board, jointly filed a lawsuit Monday against the St. Joseph County Election Board.

The lawsuit names Rita Glenn and Charles Leone, Democrat members of the election board.

An investigation involving County Clerk Rita Glenn now involves Indiana State Police. A third party investigation was also requested by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners.

Glenn is seen on security video entering a secure ballot storage room alone the day before primary elections in May of 2022 without a Republican and possessing a Republican key copy.

The Indiana Republican party says the lawsuit looks to stop the enforcement of a resolution that would strip the Republican-appointed member of the St. Joseph County Election Board of their statutory right to review signatures on absentee ballots, to lock access of absentee ballots, and to secure the lock key for their respective party.

In a statement, former Republican Election Board Member Ben Horvath says he was unaware Glenn had a duplicate copy of the Republican key. He says it was a scheduling conflict issue on May 2, 2022 that did not allow him to get the County-City building to unlock the closet.

"The county-city building was locked and I was unable to enter the building...democrats have falsely portrayed by inability to enter and unlock the closest...as a refusal to perform my duties," Horvath said. "This assertion has no merit."

The St. Joseph County Election Board passed a resolution last week delegating the statutory duties and responsibilities the St. Joseph County Election Board members to Rita Glenn in her capacity as clerk of the St. Joseph County Circuit Court while the investigation is completed.

"Last week, the Democrat members of the St. Joseph County Election Board failed the citizens of their county by making the egregious decision to eliminate all bipartisan safeguards surrounding absentee ballots," stated Kyle Hupfer, chairman of the Indiana Republican Party. "This is an affront to free, fair, and transparent elections, and should immediately be reversed by the courts."

Click here to read the lawsuit.