Monroe County District 2 challenge: GOP nominee Randy Cassady’s residency questioned by Dems
Monroe County Democratic Party chair David Henry has notified the three-member county election board that he is challenging the candidacy of Randy Cassady, who is the Republican Party nominee for the District 2 county commissioner seat.
Henry has filed the required CAN-1 form for a challenge.
The basis of the challenge is a question about Cassady’s residency in District 2. Even though county commissioners are elected by all registered voters across the county, candidates have to have proper residency in their geographic district.
Cassady is running against incumbent Democrat Julie Thomas, who won a close primary race against Peter Iversen.
In a statement to The B Square released through his campaign manager, Mary Catherine Carmichael, Cassady said, “While certain political groups are seeking to procedurally deny the voters’ opportunity to decide on their representation, I will remain focused on the pressing issues and opportunities facing Monroe County.”
Henry’s letter to the board opens with the statement: “I write in my capacity as party chairman … to challenge the candidacy of Randy Cassady for Monroe County Commissioner District 2 under IC 3-6-5-31 to determine if an election law violation may have occurred.”
The state law cited by Henry says that if the election board “determines that there is substantial reason to believe an election law violation has occurred, it shall expeditiously make an investigation.”
Even though the board has a regular monthly meeting already set for this Thursday at 1 p.m., it looks like the only action the election board could take would be to start an investigation. The board could also decide not to pursue an investigation, or put off any decision.
Current members of the election board are Monroe County’s elected clerk, Democrat Nicole Browne, John Fernandez, the Democratic Party’s appointee, and Judith Benckart, the Republican Party’s appointee.
Cassady had a record of voting in Democratic Party primaries, which made him an “on-paper” Democrat. That meant he needed an approval from Taylor Bryant, who was at the time Monroe County Republican Party chair. Bryant has since resigned as chair, because she moved out of Monroe County.
But Cassady’s status as a Republican is not an issue raised in Henry’s challenge.
The question raised by Henry is whether Cassady has been a resident of District 2 long enough to qualify as a candidate representing that district. The state law cited by Henry is IC 3-8-1-21, which states a candidate for county commissioner must be a resident of their district at least six months before the general election.
The calendar math this year means Cassady needs to have been a resident of District 2 starting Sunday, May 5, 2024.
District 2 coincides geographically with Bloomington Township.
Henry’s letter says that Cassady changed his voter registration on May 7, from a non-District 2 address inside Monroe County, to one inside District 2. That would leave Cassady two days short of the required six-month span—if the timing of voter registration at a place were equated to residency.
Henry’s letter also contends that Cassady’s principal place of residence for homestead tax deduction is likely one of two different places, both outside of District 2.
One of the alternate places of residency, Henry contends, is indicated by testimony that Cassady gave at a Monroe County board of zoning appeals hearing in October 2023.
The challenge to Cassady’s candidacy is at least the third residency controversy in area politics in as many years. In 2022, Myra Kinser was disqualified as a Republican primary candidate for the District 62 state house seat, based on residency. In 2023, amid questions about his residency, Democrat David Bender wound up resigning as the party’s nominee to represent District 6 on the Bloomington city council.
The last day to voluntarily resign from this year’s Nov. 5 ballot was July 15.
