New state law addresses election worker safety

Indiana passed Senate Enrolled Act 170 this last legislature, now part of I.C. § 3-5-2-19.8.

In general, it makes it a Level 6 Felony under certain circumstances to threaten an election worker or to obstruct, interfere with, or injure an election worker. Election workers include the Secretary of State, employees of the election division, members of the commission, a precinct election officer, a member of a county election board, and a circuit court clerk. It also includes an employee of the office of the circuit court clerk, a member of a town election board, a challenger and poll book holder, a watcher or those appointed to the absentee voter boards or to serve as an absentee ballot counter or courier. There is no requirement in the definition that the election worker be paid to qualify.

Any person who knowingly obstructs or interferes with an election worker discharging the election worker’s duty or knowingly obstructs and interferes with a voter within the voting chute commits a Level 6 Felony.

It is also a Level 6 Felony if any person who – for the purposes of influencing a voter, an election worker, or candidate – seeks to enforce payment of debt by force or threat of force, ejects or threatens to eject the person from a house they occupy, begins a criminal prosecution, communicates a threat, commit a forcible felony, or damages the trade or business of the voter election worker or candidate.

The Hamilton County Election Board is diligent in seeking to make sure we have fair and safe elections. I encourage you if you think there is violation to file a complaint with the election board or your local police department.