The appointed electoral board for objections to the Republican caucus nomination of Anthony Decker as Marion County Sheriff has overruled all objections. As a result, Anthony Decker remains the Republican nominee for Marion County Sheriff.
The electoral board had received seven objections on similar grounds following the caucus held to select the Republican nominee for sheriff after Sheriff Kevin Cripps’ decision to drop out of the race. While objectors primarily sought to protest the process of the caucus, objections on those grounds were dismissed by the electoral board due to falling outside of the board’s authority under the election code. According to the electoral board’s written decision, the board was strictly limited to determining the validity of the candidate’s nomination filing, not the process for selecting a candidate.
Cody Rose, who sought the nomination for sheriff during the caucus before dropping out and was one of the objectors, said his main concern is still with the Republican party’s process for choosing a replacement candidate, not with Decker himself. Rose is now running as a write-in candidate for sheriff.
“As a conservative, it’s my job to make sure that standards are followed,” Rose said. “It has nothing to do with the candidate, it’s the process: the process of the caucus, the process of the election review board, the process of the United States. We have rules to follow, we have laws, and if we don’t stick to them, what do we have them for?”
Decker said that he is pleased with the electoral board’s decision and looks forward to continuing his campaign for sheriff.
“I know that the caucus has been the item of debate,” Decker said. “Unorthodox and chaotic as it was, I do believe that it was done in accordance with the statute. Of course, I’m happy about the decision, and I look forward to continuing with my goal of becoming sheriff.”
After being served with the electoral board’s decision, objectors have five days to file for judicial review if they wish to do so.
