Sen. Richard Lugar declared ineligible to vote in home Indiana precinct
A local election board voted along partisan lines today that Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, who's currently facing in a tough primary challenge, isn't eligible to vote in his home precinct, the Indianapolis Star reports.
The Marion County Election Board voted two-to-one against Lugar, with both Democrats following the recommendation of the board's attorney. Lugar sold his Indianapolis home in 1977 and has since lived in the Washington, D.C. area. He explained last month that moving to Washington was the only way he could afford to keep his family together and remain involved in his sons' school activities.
The Indiana Election Commission ruled last month that Lugar is still eligible to run for office.
While he's currently not eligible to vote in Marion County, Lugar simply needs to submit a new voter registration form based on a physical address in the county to which he has a connection -- for instance, a relative's home -- in order to vote there, the Star reports.
In a statement, Lugar's campaign said it was an "outrage" that Indiana Democrats and his primary challenger, Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, are wasting money challenging his residency.
"They apparently don't see any path to victory at the ballot box, so they keep maneuvering in hopes they can avoid competing head-on with Senator Lugar," the statement said.
Lugar, a six-term senator who's been a prominent voice of support recently for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, has the . His opponent, however, has the support of Tea Party groups, the influential group Club for Growth and the National Rifle Association.
