18

About 80 Indianapolis residents have been notified their candidacies have been challenged by the Marion County Democratic Party. (Photo/Doug McSchooler for Mirror Indy)

This story was originally published by Mirror Indy.

By Peter Blanchard
Mirror Indy
February 17, 2026

Teresa Quay is a lifelong Democrat who wanted to get more involved in local politics.

She had quietly supported Democratic causes for years. But as a business owner in southern Indiana, she worried being vocal about her politics would interfere with her livelihood.

After moving to Indy nearly a decade ago, she began warming up to the idea of getting politically involved. When Donald Trump was reelected president, she knew it was time.

Last month, she filed paperwork to run for precinct committee person in Lawrence Township. Precinct committee persons, often called PCs, are responsible for increasing voter turnout for their party in their election precinct.

Quay also applied to become one of the party’s state convention delegates. They select candidates for certain statewide offices at the Democratic party convention.

“I have been considering more and more that it’s time for me to actually stand up and put my money where my mouth is, and not just talk about supporting the cause,” Quay said.

But last week, Quay was one of about 80 Indy residents who were notified their candidacy was being challenged by the Marion County Democratic Party, largely because of their voting history.

To run for PC or state delegate, party rules dictate that candidates must have voted for a Democrat in their most recent primary election or be certified as a Democrat by their county party chair.

Quay admits she pulled a Republican ballot in the May 2024 primary election. She did so because she believed her vote would have more impact.

“I looked at the Democratic ticket, and there really weren’t any races that I felt like needed my input,” Quay recalled.

She wasn’t the only one. In fact, a bipartisan group called ReCenter Indiana launched an ad campaign that year reminding Democrats that they can pull Republican ballots in the governor’s race and vote for “a more moderate gubernatorial candidate.”

Myla Eldridge, chair of the Marion County Democratic Party, could allow Quay and others in her situation to be on the ballot. But she said such exceptions would make the process unfair.

Quay said she’s left feeling like the county party doesn’t want her help.

“It makes me feel like they don’t want someone to run in that position, because they could make exceptions for people,” Quay told Mirror Indy.

The party line

Marion County Democratic Party Chair Myla Eldridge did not agree to Mirror Indy’s request for an interview to discuss the recent spate of candidate challenges.

In response to an emailed list of questions, Eldridge said most candidates are facing challenges because they didn’t pull a Democratic ballot in the 2024 primary election.

“We understand that many individuals who did not meet this requirement have sincere and understandable reasons, and we appreciate those who reached out to share their circumstances with us,” Eldridge said.

“While we are sympathetic to those situations, the Marion County Democratic Party must apply eligibility requirements consistently and fairly,” she said. “Making an exception for some individuals and not others would create an uneven process and risk the perception of handpicking candidates for party office.”

Quay said she plans to appeal the challenge, though she isn’t optimistic about the outcome.

Candidates can appeal a challenge at the next meeting of the Marion County Election Board, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. Feb. 20, in the public assembly room of the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St.

‘I want to do this’

The challenges come amid unprecedented interest in local politics.

The Marion County Election Board this year received a record 1,100 filings from residents running for local public office, precinct committee member or state party convention delegate.

“This is the start of what I think will be a very busy and engaging campaign season,” Marion County Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell announced after the Feb. 6 candidate filing deadline. “More people are getting involved with local politics than ever before. It’s great to see so many Hoosiers investing in their communities and working to get involved.”

Celeste LaCoursiere is one of those Hoosiers.

LaCoursiere, who works in marketing, didn’t always dream of getting involved in politics.

She started getting involved with the Marion County Young Democrats last year “out of frustration with the state of the world and the current federal administration.” She now serves as secretary for the organization.

Despite LaCoursiere’s track record, Eldridge is challenging her candidacy for state convention delegate.

LaCoursiere thinks there may have been a mistake. She recalls voting for Democrats in the 2024 primary. She’s reached out to county party officials to try and get the ruling appealed.

“I want to do this,” she said. “I really want to go out in the community and listen to people and be a representative at the state level.”

‘Less power’

If a candidate loses their appeal, they can still ask the county party chair to be appointed as precinct committee chair, rather than elected.

Eldridge told Mirror Indy that many of the candidates facing challenges have already reached out to be added to the appointment consideration list, and that “most of those precincts will very likely be filled.”

But appointed precinct committee members serve at the whim of the party chair, who can remove them at any time for any reason.

“It would absolutely give me less power,” Quay said.

Critics like Destiny Wells, a Democrat who is running against longtime Congressman André Carson in the Democratic primary, say party insiders are using candidate challenges as a way to maintain political control.

“If you get elected, you’re serving at the pleasure of the people. But if you get pushed out and then appointed, you serve at the pleasure of the party,” said Wells, “and I really think that’s what is at play here.”

Karla López Owens, who is running for Marion County Clerk of the Court, said the practice discourages young people from getting into politics.

“This is bad for the party,” López Owens said. “Indiana is consistently ranked at the bottom of voter engagement. This is why, as a party, we’re not competitive.”

Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.

Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.