Seven Republican county chairs from across Indiana are asking state party leadership to move up the resignation date of Valerie Warycha, Co-General Counsel of the Indiana Election Division, from May 6 to effective immediately.
In a letter dated April 27 and addressed to Indiana Republican State Committee Chair Lana Keesling, with copies to Gov. Mike Braun and Republican Co-Director of the Election Division Brad King, the chairs argue that allowing Warycha to remain in her role through the May 5 primary creates a perception of bias in an office that must remain impartial.
The letter is signed by Kyhle Moers (Vanderburgh County), Jackie Horvath (St. Joseph County), Ben Wells (Randolph County), Cory Grass (Monroe County), Pamela Crozier (Jefferson County), Lisa Witt (Fayette County), and Dale Seward (Carroll County).
“The Republican members of the Indiana Election Division do not operate in their personal capacities,” the chairs write. “These positions exist as a critical extension of the Indiana Republican Party within our state government. As such, these individuals are entrusted to act as the party’s stewards of fairness.”
At issue is Warycha’s role as chair of the campaign finance committee for a candidate in the June 2026 Republican state convention. The chairs argue that having an Election Division attorney publicly aligned with a convention candidate undermines confidence in the legal guidance the Division provides to county chairs, county election board members, and candidates during the primary window.
“When a high-ranking official in this division shifts from being neutral to an advocate for a specific candidate in the 2026 Republican Convention, trust is broken,” the letter states. The chairs add that allowing Warycha to remain through the primary “effectively signal[s] that personal political maneuvering takes precedence over the impartial execution of election law.”
Indy Politics has obtained the March 6, 2026 informal advisory opinion Warycha received from the Indiana Office of Inspector General before accepting the campaign chair role. The opinion, authored by State Ethics Commission Director Will Deane, concluded that the Indiana Code of Ethics does not prohibit her from serving as chair of a statewide candidate’s campaign finance committee, provided she adheres to several restrictions.
Those restrictions include prohibitions on soliciting political contributions while on duty or from any person with a business relationship with the Election Division, on using state property — including state email, phone, or computer — for campaign-related activity, and on participating in any Election Commission matter in which the campaign would have a financial interest.
The opinion also notes that if such a matter arose, recusal alone would not satisfy the Code. Warycha would be required to notify the appointing authority and ethics officer and either request a formal advisory opinion or file a written disclosure with the OIG.
In a March 13 follow-up to the OIG, Warycha clarified that the Election Division operates separately from the Office of Secretary of State Diego Morales, and that her ethics officer and appointing authority are Brad King, the Republican Co-Director.
The OIG opinion does not identify the candidate Warycha agreed to chair for. The chairs’ letter references the June convention, where Republicans will nominate candidates for Secretary of State, Treasurer and Comptroller.
Warycha submitted her resignation effective May 6, the day after the primary election. The county chairs are asking Keesling, Braun, and King to use their authority to move that date forward.
“The Republican Party stands for the integrity of the ballot,” the chairs conclude. “Let’s demonstrate those values by ensuring our Election Division is led by those whose sole loyalty is to the process, not a particular candidate.”
This story will be updated.
