Sec. of State Morales’ precinct visits caused confusion

Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales caused a stir Tuesday when he and three members of his staff arrived at two polling places in St. John.

The confusion arose because Lake County Board of Elections and Registration officials told poll workers during training that no one had submitted a credential application, but Morales’ staffers presented credentials to poll workers, election officials said.

“We didn’t know he was coming, not that he had to tell us,” said Michelle Fajman, director of the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration. “It wasn’t disrespect to him, they just didn’t know who he was.”

Two special elections were held for school property tax measures in neighboring Lake Central School Corp. districts on Tuesday. and Hanover Central Community Schools. Both referendums were adopted.

Administrators with the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration received calls that Morales and his staff were visiting polling locations at Lake Central High School and the St. John Library.

Election officials asked about Morales’ “authority to enter the polling place and were quickly informed by county election officials that the secretary of state is authorized to enter polling places and observe procedures at any time,” said Lindsey Eaton, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state’s office.

Under state law, the secretary of state can enter any polling location without permission, Eaton said. Morales’ staffers “were properly credentialed deputies,” she said.

Fajman said she received a call from a poll worker at Lake Central High School informing her that four people had arrived at the polling location. One person, Fajman said, showed his credentials on his phone to one of the poll workers, but not to the inspector.

Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Deputy Director Jessica Messler said she received a call from a deputy election commissioner at the St. John Library polling location saying the secretary of state was there and poll workers had questions about credentials.

During poll worker training, Fajman and Messler said poll workers were told that no one was presenting identification documents to enter polling locations.

Morales called Messler, she said, and they were able to clear up the confusion.

“It was a big misunderstanding, but the poll workers did the right thing,” Messler said. “Once the election officials received the information, everything went smoothly. »

Election officials ensured the integrity of the voting process, Fajman said.

“Our poll workers did everything they were told to do, and he was allowed in after his identity was confirmed,” Fajman said. “They were very safe and made sure he was who he said he was.”

Fajman and Messler said they asked the secretary of state’s office to send them a photo of the deputies’ diplomas to include in future trainings.

Morales didn’t want to distract poll workers, Eaton said, so he thanked them and “left on his own.”

“Election officials are not expected to be experts in election law. Although the secretary of state has the authority to observe all aspects of election administration, the office was not going to interrupt voting over what is considered a good faith concern of an election official,” Eaton said.

akukulka@post-trib.com