The Monroe County Democratic Party will hold a caucus at 4:30 p.m. June 30 at the Council Chambers of City Hall to fill a November General Election ballot vacancy left by David Wolfe Bender, an IU student and the former Democratic nominee for the Bloomington City Council’s sixth district. The deadline for filling a vacancy is July 3.
Bender, who was investigated after the publication of an IDS story that found Bender did not live at the District 6 address he was registered at, withdrew from the race after his case was referred to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and Monroe County Prosecutor Erika Oliphant.
IU student Sydney Zulich has already filed her paperwork to stand as a candidate for the caucus. According to BSquare Bulletin, Zulich had previously filed paperwork to run as an independent candidate for the District 6 vacancy. She had collected the required number of signatures for an independent candidate to appear on the ballot but did not officially declare her candidacy.
The caucus will begin with a quorum call to establish rules and to open voting, according to the event announcement. Candidates will then be able to make statements and answer questions. Following this forum, eligible precinct committeepersons will cast secret ballots for a candidate, the results of which will be announced at the end of the meeting.
According to the Monroe County Democratic Party, candidates for the caucus must have been a resident of District 6 for at least six months prior to the November General Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023. The candidate must also be a registered voter in the district and have filed appropriate paperwork — a declaration of candidacy and a certificate of candidate selection to fill an early ballot vacancy — 72 hours prior to the caucus.
Editor’s Note: Bender was previously employed by the Indiana Daily Student.
