GOP State Convention Still On, For Now

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INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Holcomb’s “roadmap” for ending coronavirus restrictions still bans mass gatherings till at least the Fourth of July. But Republicans’ June convention is still on, at least for now.

Except for religious services, Holcomb’s order which began loosening restrictions on Monday caps gatherings at 25 people. By the time of Republicans’ convention June 20, that limit is scheduled to go up to just 250. There are more than seven times that many delegates.

Indiana GOP Chairman Kyle Hupfer

The party issued contingency plans last month, but state chairman Kyle Hupfer says there won’t be a final decision in a couple of weeks. He says the party is still looking at other options, including a hybrid live and virtual convention, though he’s declining to discuss in detail how that would work.

Hupfer says there’s something lost if party activists can’t meet in person. He says the convention is an opportunity to build relationships, unite the party, and spark delegates’ enthusiasm for the five-month sprint to Election Day.

Democrats announced three weeks ago they’d move their June 13 convention online.

Both parties have contested races for the nomination for attorney general. Republicans’ three-way race raises the possibility of a second ballot. The party’s memo outlining how a virtual convention would work says delegates would receive mail-in ranked-choice ballots. If neither Attorney General Curtis Hill, Decatur County Prosecutor Nate Harter, nor Zionsville attorney John Westercamp has a majority on the first ballot, the last-place candidate would be eliminated. Instead of the two-way revote that would take place at a live convention, those votes would be automatically reallocated to those delegates’ second choice to determine a winner.

If there’s a mail-in vote, the memo says the counting of votes would be delayed until July 10, with ballots due back the day before.