Deborah Daniels: Ballard brings fresh ideas to secretary of state race

Editor’s note: This column has been updated to include former Lt. Gov. John Mutz’s endorsement of Greg Ballard for Secretary of State. The endorsement was announced after IBJ’s print deadline. A reference to the candidates’ platforms was removed following statements made at a recent debate, which also took place after IBJ’s deadline. 

The race for Indiana Secretary of State has turned out to be much more interesting than anyone originally expected.

Initially, we had a seriously flawed Republican incumbent running against the young scion of a well-known, multi-generation Democratic family.

The incumbent was strongly supported by the Republican establishment despite the multiple allegations against him until those who control the party levers realized that he was going to lose the general election.

Thus, two days before the deadline for filing, an employee of U.S. Sen. Jim Banks suddenly entered the race and won at the convention with Banks’ strong support.

An articulate Libertarian candidate, Lauri Schillings, is also running; but this year, for the first time, we also have an independent candidate — Greg Ballard, the popular former mayor of Indianapolis who overcame the significant odds stacked against independent candidates to get on the ballot.

Here’s where it gets really interesting. Of the four candidates, three spout the usual platitudes about supporting small businesses, election transparency, efficient government operations and the like.

Well, Republican Max Engling says he wants closed primaries so that only hardcore Republicans can vote in that primary (essentially disenfranchising the growing population of independent voters).

And Democrat Beau Bayh says he supports the broad use of statewide ballot referenda apparently along the lines of the California system.

But the one candidate who is bringing novel, well-thought-out ideas to this race is Greg Ballard.

He has, for example, suggested that all voters receive before each election a voter’s guide tailored to their geographic location, providing information about the candidates and public questions on the ballot so that they can be informed voters.

I recently wrote about why I think this guide is a good idea. Even I, an engaged civic participant, have had trouble obtaining this kind of information without conducting extensive candidate-by-candidate research.

But there’s more.

Ballard has suggested a professional training program for county clerks, who usually assume office knowing little about how to run an election. We currently have 92 separate clerks having to engage in self-generated learning; predictably, their ability to manage an election varies widely. Ballard would deploy knowledgeable and experienced county clerks to provide the training.

Ballard has also recognized the fallacy of having politically biased individuals deciding close political races. This became painfully apparent in incumbent Republican state Sen. Spencer Deery’s race to hold his seat after he voted against mid-decade redistricting

A three-vote margin separated Deery and his primary opponent. The two partisan Republicans on the three-member recount commission voted contrary to state law to award the votes to Deery’s opponent — a decision that was overturned by the Indiana Supreme Court.

Ballard advocates for a system of selecting nonpartisan retired judges to conduct the recount work, in order to avoid such a blatantly political outcome.

He also advocates that the secretary of state, similarly to sitting judges, not be permitted to endorse candidates for office, fundraise for them or contribute to them while in office, in order to preserve the integrity of an office that should never be political.

All these proposals are laid out on Ballard’s campaign website.

Ballard is supported by an impressive array of long-time Republican stalwarts, including Sue Ellspermann, Lieutenant Governor to Mike Pence during Ballard’s tenure as Mayor. In her words, he is a “proven high integrity public servant” who excelled as Mayor of Indianapolis. Notably, revered former Lieutenant Governor John Mutz has also endorsed Ballard, calling him “the clear choice.”

In her words, he is a “proven high integrity public servant.”

Ballard offers not only integrity and management experience but also thoughtful, well-defined proposals to improve the function of the office. We should demand no less of all candidates for office.•

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Daniels is a retired partner of Krieg DeVault LLP, a former U.S. attorney and assistant U.S. attorney general and former president of the Sagamore Institute.

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