ST. JOHN — Secretary of State Diego Morales was denied entry to two Lake County polling places Tuesday because the Republican was not immediately recognized as Indiana's chief elections officer.
Election officials said Morales and his entourage initially were kept out of the voting sites at Lake Central High School and the St. John branch of the Lake County Public Library after bipartisan poll workers at both locations questioned the group's credentials.
Under Indiana law, very few people other than voters and election workers are permitted inside a polling place on Election Day to protect the privacy of voters, prevent disruption and promote election security.
"The denial of entry was not a reflection on Mr. Morales personally, but was a necessary, bipartisan action based on statutory requirements," said Michelle Fajman, the Democratic director of the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration.
"Poll workers are well trained, and this decision was made to uphold the integrity, security and orderly conduct of the voting process."
At the same time, state law includes the secretary of state, in his official capacity, on the list of individuals permitted to enter any Election Day voting site in Indiana — even if he doesn't tell anyone he's coming.
So, after a few phone calls, Morales was allowed into the polling places to shake hands and snap photos with voters and poll workers.
"We thank the poll workers for their due diligence and the secretary for his professionalism and understanding. The process worked exactly as it was designed," said Jessica Messler, the Republican assistant director of the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration.
Morales' spokeswoman Lindsey Eaton said the secretary of state understood the momentary confusion even though Morales and his team were properly credentialed.
"Poll workers are not expected to be election law experts. Though the secretary of state has authority to observe all aspects of election administration, our office isn’t going to disrupt Election Day operations over what is taken to be a poll worker's good faith concerns. Secretary Morales took the time he had at the polling location to thank poll workers and then left on his own accord," Eaton said.
Morales also visited a Porter County polling place Tuesday for what were Indiana's final off-year school referendum ballot questions.
Senate Enrolled Act 1 (2025) mandates all future school funding referendums be posed to voters only on a general election ballot when more voters are likely to participate.
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