There are few states that have been less supportive of independent candidates than Indiana. Indiana has had government-printed ballots since 1889, and no independent since 1889 has ever been elected to the state legislature. No independent candidate has ever even appeared on the ballot for Governor or U.S. Senator. Indiana has always had a straight-ticket device, which injures independent candidates. Also, Indiana has always had very strong political parties. Because Indiana has never had registration by party, there is no data on how many voters would register “independent” if voters registered by party in Indiana.

However, it is likely that an independent candidate will be elected next month to be LaGrange County Coroner, a partisan post. LaGrange County is predominantly Republican. However, the current Coroner, a Republican, is term-limited. No one ran in the Republican primary to replace him this year, but the Republican Party nominated someone by party meeting after the primary was over. However, the party’s paperwork was insufficient, and the Republican nominee was kept off the November ballot.

The Deputy Coroner, Jeff Helmuth, submitted petitions to be an independent candidate, but most observers assumed the Democratic nominee for Coroner, Bob Reichard, would defeat Helmuth. However, Reichard died suddenly on October 15 while visiting the Philippines. The Democratic Party has the legal right to place a new nominee on the ballot, but if the party does that before November 1, the county would reprint ballots at a cost to taxpayers of $20,000. LaGrange County is a small-population county and the Democratic Party does not want to cause the county that expense. Therefore, the party will probably leave Reichard’s name on the ballot. Straight-ticket votes for the Democratic Party will count toward the candidate that the Democratic Party chooses to replace Reichard, if the party waits until November to name a new candidate. But non-straight-ticket votes for Reichard don’t count for this purpose. So, chances are, the independent candidate will win the election.