Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.The Marion County Election Board removed Lindsey Cornett from the Indianapolis Public Schools school board ballot on Monday because of her voting record but allowed her opponent Chris Bultman to remain in the race, saying his record met the requirements. Cornett and Bultman, who recently was appointed to the IPS board, were the two candidates running for District 4, representing the southwestern part of the school district. The District 4 seat is on the ballot this year because of the resignation of board member Allissa Impink.Both Cornett and Bultman filed to run as Democrats and faced challenges saying they didn’t meet the criteria to have the party affiliation listed next to their names on the ballot.For the first time, thanks to a 2025 law, school board candidates are now allowed to list party affiliation on the ballot, but only if they have voted in two primaries held by that party or have gotten permission from the county party leader. Registered voters can challenge those party affiliations. The outcome of those challenges is determined by the county election board. The Marion County Election Board’s decision could be one of the earliest decisions by an Indiana elections board regarding partisan school board candidates, setting a precedent for future challenges. Board members cited guidance from the Indiana Election Division as well as the interpretation from the bill author in making their unanimous decisions to remove Cornett but keep Bultman on the ballot. The challenge against Cornett, filed July 1 by registered voter Bryan Regules, says that it’s questionable that she “voted a democratic primary ballot two primaries.” A Chalkbeat review of her voting history shows that she voted in one democratic primary election since moving to Indiana in 2019. Cornett conceded that she voted in only one primary, but said she didn’t realize it until after filing her candidacy paperwork. She and her attorney, Nabeela Virjee, argued that while that was grounds to remove her party affiliation from the ballot, she should remain on the ballot because of how Cornett and Virjee interpret state law and that listing her as a Democrat would fulfill the law’s goal of giving voters more information.Attorney Brad Boswell, who was advising the election board, said the law around school board candidates says what to do in the case of an unsuccessful challenge to party affiliation, but doesn’t list the appropriate step after a successful challenge. And in that case, the state election division said it would defer to the part of state law that’s about candidates in general, which says to remove the candidate from the ballot. Kate Sweeney Bell, the county clerk and a member of the election board, said the additions about party affiliation for school board are “as clear as mud” yet impact “real issues with real people.”Cornett also faced challenges around the timing of her filing and the number of signatures she received. However, since the board voted on the party affiliation first, it did not make a determination on the other challenges.Cornett said after the meeting that she was disappointed and frustrated and felt the law had been applied unfairly. She said she’s still committed to running in November. Anyone who disagrees with the board’s decision has 30 days to seek judicial review of the outcome. But the timeline is tight, as the first ballots are printed in mid-September. Cornett plans to file a judicial review and is also looking into being a write-in candidate. The deadline for write-in candidates is Aug. 21.Which primary elections meet the candidate qualifications The challenge to Bultman’s candidacy, filed July 24 by registered voter Isaiah Tworek, argues that the interpretation of the law is that the candidate should have voted in the last two primaries held by the party as stated in the school board portion of the law, not voted in any two of that party’s primaries, like the broader law and election division says. According to Indiana Code regarding nomination for school board office, as well as Senate Enrolled Act 287 from 2025, the law that allows partisan school board elections, the candidate must have voted in the two most recent primary elections held by that party. A section in Indiana Code regarding local and state candidates overall says the candidate must have voted in two primaries held by their party without voting in another party’s primary in between. That same language is on the Indiana Election Division’s CAN-34 form, aka the Petition of Nomination and Consent for School Board Office, and is the interpretation by the state election division.In Bultman’s case, voting records show he voted in Democratic primaries in 2026 and 2020, fulfilling the latter interpretation, which the county election board agreed with.Bultman said he was excited to move forward with his candidacy and noted his respect for Cornett. He added that the challenges show there’s a need for clarity around the new law. The winner of the district 4 race in November would serve the remainder of Impink’s term until 2028. MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.
