The top two Republicans at the Indiana Election Division have tendered their resignations, effective May 6 — the day after the primary election.
Co-director Brad King is retiring after 24 years in the role and a host of accomplishments to his name.
Co-General Counsel Valerie Warycha, who is supporting GOP Secretary of State candidate David Shelton, is also leaving.
King and Warycha work alongside the Democratic co-director and co-general counsel in the Indiana Election Division, which is part of Secretary of State Diego Morales’ agency. He is seeking renomination at state convention this summer.
“I submit this resignation accompanied by my gratitude to the many individuals I have had the privilege to work with and to the people of the State of Indiana whom I have had the privilege to serve,” King said in a three-page, handwritten resignation letter to Gov. Mike Braun. “… I am mindful that in my 68th year of life, prudence requires me to plan and act for the future.”
The governor — in consultation with the Indiana Republican Party — will choose a successor.
King counted among his achievements his drafting of Indiana’s first-in-the nation voter ID law.
“I was able to contribute to the successful crafting of legislation to enhance voter confidence in election security, while safeguarding the right of each eligible voter to cast a ballot,” he wrote.
King also touted the establishment of a state-level voting system and and a state website providing a comprehensive list of every elected official serving citizens of Indiana.
He will not serve on the Recount Commission for any races after the primary.
Warycha’s departure is more complicated. She and former Secretary of State Connie Lawson sent a letter to election administrators in the state this week that issues a scathing critique of Morales’ tenure as secretary of state.
They wrote that “avoidable administrative failures” led to many candidates having to come back to Indianapolis to file their paperwork again because of concerns about whether office staff were legally able to notarize their original filings.
Warycha also cited questionable spending in Morales’ office, such as buying a $90,000 car, publishing self-promotional materials, hiring family members, giving large spot bonuses and his extensive travel.
“His ability to produce funds when needed is curious too. The Secretary of State sets the budget for the Election Division. Since he took office, the budget to help train counties has taken a beating – no in-person SVRS training, printed manuals or codebooks,” the letter says.
Warycha and Lawson touted Shelton’s experience as a county clerk who has run an election, and warned that Democratic candidate Beau Bayh is ready to pounce if Morales is the GOP nominee.
The letter ends by seeking to galvanize election administrators into a coalition: “We need your help to make sure David (Shelton) gets the nomination at the convention. You are the trusted election experts in your community. No one understands how vital strong and knowledgeable election leadership is more than you!”
A message to Morales’ press secretary wasn’t immediately returned.