A series of high-profile mandamus petitions filed earlier this year by local “activists” David Waters and Jeremiah “Hoss” Tevebaugh against the Marion County Election Board have been dismissed with prejudice, closing the door on further litigation.
The petitions sought to compel the Election Board to investigate a variety of alleged campaign finance and election-related violations. Waters filed multiple petitions, including one that accused Indy Politics editor and 2023 Indianapolis mayoral candidate Abdul-Hakim Shabazz of filing false or incomplete campaign finance reports.
Other filings by Waters challenged how the Board handled the reporting of certain committees and public records. Tevebaugh filed a verified petition claiming the Board failed to act on his earlier complaint involving Republican City-County Council members. In addition, Waters attempted to intervene in Tevebaugh’s case by submitting supplemental affidavits and filings, which the court struck as improper.
On September 29, 2025, Marion Superior Court Judge Kurt Eisgruber dismissed the pending mandamus actions with prejudice. A dismissal “with prejudice” means the claims cannot be refiled and are considered permanently resolved. It is unclear at this time how Judge Eisgruber’s ruling will impact other pending litigation involving Waters and Tevebaugh.
Disclosure: IndyPolitics.org editor Abdul-Hakim Shabazz is currently involved in defamation actions against both Waters and Tevebaugh.
