BLOOMINGTON- The Monroe County Democratic Party will hold an office vacancy caucus to fill pro tempore the position of Bloomington Common Councilperson, District 5, on March 2, 2024, beginning at 1:00 PM at Bloomington City Hall, 401 N. Morton St, Bloomington, IN 47404. Eligible candidates
are welcome to submit a statement of interest to the Monroe County Democratic Party for
submission to the District 5 Precinct Committee.
On February 7, 2024, the office of Bloomington Common Councilperson in District 5 became
vacant. When an elected official resigns from office before the expiry of their term under
Indiana Code, the filling of the office vacancy falls on the political party who nominated the
office holder. Those eligible, duly elected, or appointed precinct committeepersons in District 5
for the Democratic Party to have the obligation to caucus to fill the vacancy for the remainder of
the term. The vacancy caucus will be a public event, with media availability for the candidates
seeking to fill the vacancy.
Prior to the caucus, the MCDP will hold a public candidate forum beginning at 2:00 PM on
February 24, 2024, at the Monroe County Public Library Auditorium. The public is welcome to
attend this event, and questions from District 5 residents will be prioritized for consideration in
the forum.
Eligible candidates residing in District 5 may seek the vacant seat. To qualify for the caucus,
candidates must file the appropriate paperwork with the MCDP 72 hours before the caucus, which
is Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at 2 PM.
“The responsibility to fill this seat falls squarely on the party. Other states may settle vacancies
by special election with voters at the ballot box. However, Indiana Code clearly places the
process to fill vacancies in offices with the political party whose candidate won the general
election,” said David G. Henry, MCDP Chair. “This is a representative, democratic process. It is
also a completely new election, with new candidates with competing visions for their District.
Precinct Committeepersons, duly elected in May of 2022, and appointed under Code, represent
600 to 1000 voters in each precinct. Filling office vacancies, while rare, is a well-established
practice under Indiana Code.” Henry said.
