After weeks of early voting, Lake County voters waited in lines to cast their ballots to elect Democrat Jerry Williams as the county’s first black sheriff. Frank Mrvan held onto his seat with more than 60% of the vote against GOP challenger Barb Regnitz as part of a Democrat landslide in retaking Congress. Statewide, Democrat […]
Elections
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Mrvan Wins Reelection as Democrats Retake Congress
Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan was reelected to a fourth term Tuesday, beating Republican Barb Regnitz and keeping Northwest Indiana’s congressional seat in Democratic hands for another two years. “Tonight, our campaign was victorious, and I am deeply honored to have earned the continued trust of the people of Indiana’s 1st Congressional District,” Mrvan said […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Elections, Local Government, Policing
Jerry Williams Elected Lake County’s First Black Sheriff
The sounds of James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, and Stevie Wonder filled a Lake County banquet hall Tuesday night as supporters gathered to watch returns in a sheriff’s race that was setup to make history. Jerry Williams, a Gary native who spent more than three decades with the Indiana State Police, was elected […]
Posted inElections, Policing, Politics & Policy
Sheriff Candidates Promise Accountability Amid Spending, Jail Concerns
Voters will decide who gets to run the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, an agency which has been plagued by questions over spending and operations at the county jail. Democrat Jerry Williams, a longtime Indiana State Police major and former interim Gary police chief, faces Republican David Crane Jr., a former Lake County sheriff’s officer, in […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Trump Administration Plans to Monitor Lake and Marion County Voting on Election Day
State election officials and voting rights advocates are questioning the Trump administration’s decision to send monitors to polling stations in Marion and Lake counties on Election Day. Lake and Marion are the only two Indiana counties publicly identified for U.S. Justice Department federal monitoring during the Nov. 3 midterm election. Both counties are Democratic strongholds […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
More Spending or Budget Cuts? Gary’s Candidates Disagree
As Northwest Indiana residents contend with rising household and healthcare costs and the region’s struggling economy, voters will decide who represents them and makes major decisions in Congress for the next two years. The U.S. representative for Indiana’s 1st District, which includes Lake and Porter counties and a portion of LaPorte County, writes and votes […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Who’s Running for Office in Gary and Lake County?
Our state and federal races have received a lot of attention this election cycle, but there are some important races taking place in Lake County, too. Gary and Lake County voters will select a new sheriff, new auditor, prosecuting attorney, a county commissioner, and more. See who’s running in each race and what the winning […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Voting
Find Your Polling Place in Gary for Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. This guide covers where Gary and Lake County residents can vote on that day. Where do I vote in Gary and Lake County? Nearly 30 polling sites will be open in Gary on Election Day. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Residents can find their location […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Elections, Politics & Policy
Hoosiers Could Lose the Right to Bail in November’s Vote
On Election Day, Indiana voters will decide whether to give judges broad new powers to keep suspects in jail without bail before trial. Public Question 1 would let Indiana judges hold people in jail before trial on nearly any charge if they’re deemed too dangerous to release. Currently, the state constitution allows bail except for […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Voting
Black Organizers Change Their Message to the Hip-Hop Generation
The Rev. Lennox Yearwood had learned from experience that getting more members of the hip-hop generation to be politically active was difficult. He knew it wasn’t enough to get them to turn out to vote for one election – because they might not show up for the next one. And he believed that creating change […]
