Marion County Election Board waives two $1,000 campaign-finance fines, staff to refer unpaid fines to collections

Marion County Election Board members voted unanimously April 18 to waive two mandatory $1,000 late-filing fines after candidates explained clerical errors and other circumstances that led to late campaign finance reports.

The waivers applied to Jennifer Tercey, a first-time candidate for Lawrence city council who said she missed the filing after relying on campaign staff and an absent mail pickup, and to David Hoffman, a former Lawrence police chief who said a checkbox error on his final report mistakenly left his committee active. Both waivers were approved by voice vote (Vice Chair Jennifer Ping: aye; Madam Clerk: aye; Chair Nolita Stewart: aye).

Why it matters: the board’s actions illustrate how statutorily mandated fines interact with the board’s waiver policy. Statutory fines for late campaign-finance filings accrue automatically; the board can later reduce or waive them under the Marion County Election Board campaign fine waiver and reduction policy (adopted April 2024). Staff also told the board it will refer several unpaid fines to the city collections department if they remain unpaid 60 days after certified notice.

Board discussion and staff findings

Director of Elections Patrick Becker told the board staff conducts a cursory review of campaign finance filings, accepts amended filings, and notifies committees when forms are incomplete. Becker identified three committees with “defective” filings staff is actively working to resolve: the Pike Township Board committee (Cynthia Oda), an IPS Scribe…