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Wallace won't be on GOP primary ballot

The Indiana Election Commission ruled Friday that Republican gubernatorial hopeful Jim Wallace will not be on the ballot in the primary. 

To be on the primary ballot for governor in Indiana, a candidate must have 500 certified signatures from each congressional district.  Businessman Jim Wallace only had 486 signatures affirmed in Marion County.  But Wallace argued that Marion County’s system was flawed and failed to certify signatures that were valid.  Election Commission chairman Dan Dumezich says Wallace didn’t do enough to prove that.

“I haven’t heard any testimony today that would leave me to believe that the 486 is not an accurate count.”

The Commission voted three to one to deny Wallace a place on the ballot.  Wallace says he takes ultimate responsibility for his failure to get on the ballot, but indicates the battle isn’t over.

“We’re going to investigate our options.  There’s a method for judicial process here and we’re going to take a look at what our options are, but we’re disappointed.”

Challenges to Republican presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, President Barack Obama, GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence and Senator Richard Lugar were all denied by the Commission.  They will each be on the ballot. 

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.