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Indiana Code

Ind. Code § 3-8-1-2 (2025)

Questioned candidacy filing; jurisdiction to act; sworn statement; determination of eligibility or validity; denial of filing

✓ 2025 Indiana Code: the 2026 session is not included
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     Sec. 2. (a) This section does not apply to a candidate challenged under IC 3-8-8.

     (b) The commission, a county election board, or a town election board shall act if a candidate (or a person acting on behalf of a candidate in accordance with state law) has filed any of the following:

(1) A declaration of candidacy under IC 3-8-2 or IC 3-8-5.

(2) A request for ballot placement in a presidential primary under IC 3-8-3.

(3) A petition of nomination or candidate's consent to nomination under IC 3-8-2.5 or IC 3-8-6.

(4) A certificate of nomination under IC 3-8-5, IC 3-8-7, IC 3-10-2-15, or IC 3-10-6-12.

(5) A certificate of candidate selection under IC 3-13-1 or IC 3-13-2.

(6) A declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate under IC 3-8-2-2.5.

(7) A contest to the denial of certification under IC 3-8-2.5 or IC 3-8-6-12.

     (c) The commission has jurisdiction to act under this section with regard to any filing described in subsection (b) that was made with the election division. Except for a filing under the jurisdiction of a town election board, a county election board has jurisdiction to act under this section with regard to any filing described in subsection (b) that was made with the county election board, county voter registration office, or the circuit court clerk. A town election board has jurisdiction to act under this section with regard to any filing that was made with the county election board, the county voter registration office, or the circuit court clerk for nomination or election to a town office.

     (d) Except as provided in subsection (f), before the commission or election board acts under this section, a registered voter of the election district that a candidate seeks to represent or a county chairman of a major political party of a county in which any part of the election district is located must file a sworn statement before a person authorized to administer oaths, with the election division or election board:

(1) questioning the eligibility of the candidate to seek the office; and

(2) setting forth the facts known to the voter or county chairman of a major political party of a county concerning this question.

     (e) The eligibility of a write-in candidate or a candidate nominated by a convention, petition, or primary may not be challenged under this section if the commission or board determines that all of the following occurred:

(1) The eligibility of the candidate was challenged under this section before the candidate was nominated.

(2) The commission or board conducted a hearing on the affidavit before the nomination.

(3) This challenge would be based on substantially the same grounds as the previous challenge to the candidate.

     (f) Before the commission or election board can consider a contest to the denial of a certification under IC 3-8-2.5 or IC 3-8-6-12, a candidate (or a person acting on behalf of a candidate in accordance with state law) must file a sworn statement with the election division or election board:

(1) stating specifically the basis for the contest; and

(2) setting forth the facts known to the candidate supporting the basis for the contest.

     (g) Upon the filing of a sworn statement under subsection (d) or (f), the commission or election board shall determine the validity of the questioned:

(1) declaration of candidacy;

(2) declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate;

(3) request for ballot placement under IC 3-8-3;

(4) petition of nomination;

(5) certificate of nomination;

(6) certificate of candidate selection issued under IC 3-13-1-15 or IC 3-13-2-8; or

(7) denial of a certification under IC 3-8-2.5 or IC 3-8-6-12.

     (h) The commission or election board shall deny a filing if the commission or election board determines that the candidate has not complied with the applicable requirements for the candidate set forth in the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Indiana, or this title.

[Pre-1986 Recodification Citation: 3-1-9-5(h) part.]

As added by P.L.5-1986, SEC.4. Amended by P.L.3-1987, SEC.81; P.L.12-1995, SEC.59; P.L.3-1995, SEC.47; P.L.2-1996, SEC.84; P.L.3-1997, SEC.113; P.L.38-1999, SEC.21; P.L.176-1999, SEC.25; P.L.66-2003, SEC.11; P.L.97-2004, SEC.3; P.L.194-2013, SEC.11; P.L.169-2015, SEC.51; P.L.74-2017, SEC.19; P.L.278-2019, SEC.18.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2000–2025 · leading case: White v. Indiana Democratic Party ex rel. Parker, 963 N.E.2d 481 (Ind. 2012).
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White v. Indiana Democratic Party ex rel. Parker, 963 N.E.2d 481 (Ind. 2012). · cites it 10× “See Ind.Code § 3-8-1-2 (2005). Under this provision, a registered voter within the candidate's election district may file a sworn statement with the election division "(1) questioning the eligibility of a candidate to seek the office; and (2) setting forth the facts known to the…”
Wyatt v. Wheeler, 936 N.E.2d 232 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 2× “Ind.Code § 3-8-1-2 (2004); See Sam-mons v.”
Sammons v. Conrad & Leach, 740 N.E.2d 114 (Ind. 2000). · cites it 2× “Leach argues, and we agree, that the proper way to challenge an allegedly invalid certification is provided in Indiana Code section 3-8-1-2. This is the general statute allowing any registered voter to file a complaint with a county election board or the Election Division…”
Ross Graham Thomas v. Joseph Foyst, 260 N.E.3d 887 (Ind. 2025). · cites it 6× “They begin with statutorily-required allegations made to administrative bodies like county election boards, I.C. § 3-8-1-2, and those administrative decisions are subject to judicial review, I.”
Burke v. Bennett, 896 N.E.2d 505 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Ind.Code 3-8-1-2(c) and (e) permits [sic] a County Election Board, upon the filing of a Declaration of Candidacy, to determine whether a candidate is qualified to seek office.”
Donald B. Kite, Sr. v. Alexandra Curlin, 139 N.E.3d 1113 (Ind. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “(citing Ind. Code § 3-8-1-2 (2005)). None of White’s filings were confidential or sealed, and the discrepancy at issue was discovered by a private citizen.”
Diego Morales v. John Rust, 228 N.E.3d 1025 (Ind. 2024). · cites it 2× “, I.C. § 3-8-1-2. In short, there is no realistic way for Rust to hold himself out to others as a Republican in the general election, other than standing in the Republican Party’s primary.”
Ind. Code § 3-8-1-2(c): 2 cases
White v. Indiana Democratic Party ex rel. Parker, 963 N.E.2d 481 (Ind. 2012). “See Ind.Code § 3-8-1-2 (2005). Under this provision, a registered voter within the candidate's election district may file a sworn statement with the election division "(1) questioning the eligibility of a candidate to seek the office; and (2) setting forth the facts known to the…”
Burke v. Bennett, 896 N.E.2d 505 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Ind.Code 3-8-1-2(c) and (e) permits [sic] a County Election Board, upon the filing of a Declaration of Candidacy, to determine whether a candidate is qualified to seek office.”
Ind. Code § 3-8-1-2(d): 1 case
Ross Graham Thomas v. Joseph Foyst, 260 N.E.3d 887 (Ind. 2025). “They begin with statutorily-required allegations made to administrative bodies like county election boards, I.C. § 3-8-1-2, and those administrative decisions are subject to judicial review, I.”
Ind. Code § 3-8-1-2(f): 1 case
White v. Indiana Democratic Party ex rel. Parker, 963 N.E.2d 481 (Ind. 2012). “See Ind.Code § 3-8-1-2 (2005). Under this provision, a registered voter within the candidate's election district may file a sworn statement with the election division "(1) questioning the eligibility of a candidate to seek the office; and (2) setting forth the facts known to the…”
Ind. Code § 3-8-1-2(g): 1 case
White v. Indiana Democratic Party ex rel. Parker, 963 N.E.2d 481 (Ind. 2012). “See Ind.Code § 3-8-1-2 (2005). Under this provision, a registered voter within the candidate's election district may file a sworn statement with the election division "(1) questioning the eligibility of a candidate to seek the office; and (2) setting forth the facts known to the…”
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