Ballard Pushes Open Primaries in Secretary of State Race
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard says Indiana’s primary system already has limits and argues voters should have more say in choosing candidates.
Ballard, who is running for Secretary of State as an independent under the Lincoln Party banner, tells IndyPolitics that current rules require voters to show they participated in a party’s previous two primaries and identify with that party.
He says the state should keep its primaries open, arguing the Secretary of State’s office should focus on expanding voter choice rather than limiting participation.
Ballard tells IndyPolitics his campaign has collected more than 52,000 signatures, well above the requirement to appear on the November ballot. He says the number of independent voters in Indiana shows many people are looking beyond the two major parties.
“Here we are, 900 people just selected a candidate,” Ballard said, contrasting the convention’s delegate count with his petition total. “Both parties are closing everybody else off right now, and we’re opening it up.”
Ballard also addressed questions surrounding forged signatures submitted by a campaign volunteer. He says the system worked as it was designed by catching the issue and questioned how the documents reached the Hamilton County Republican Party chairman.
Republicans nominated Max Engling at their Fort Wayne convention Saturday, where he won on the second ballot with 867 votes to 627 for Knox County Clerk David Shelton.
