Du Bois To Move Out Of District, Remaining On Ballot

Maksym Hart InkFreeNews NORTH WEBSTER — As early voting begins Tuesday, April 7, Thaddeus Du Bois, a North Webster resident and business owner who entered the Kosciusko County Council race earlier this year, confirmed he is in the process of selling his home and plans to move outside the district – but said he is continuing his campaign. Thaddeus Du Bois “Yes, I’m still running,” Du Bois said Monday, April 6. Du Bois said his home sale was finalized Sunday, April 6, with a planned move-out date of Friday, May 8, days after the Tuesday, May 5 primary election. That timing places him within the district during the candidacy election itself, though not afterward. “How in the world does that work?” he asked, adding he has questions about whether he would need to step down or could be removed from office after moving. Du Bois previously entered the race citing frustration with the East Webster sewer expansion, saying the issue prompted him to become more involved in local government. He has also raised concerns about taxes, government spending and infrastructure. Despite the uncertainty, Du Bois said he would still attempt to act on his campaign priorities, even within a short window. Chief among those is his ongoing opposition to the sewer project and the governing structure behind it. “If I win … I would be in for like three days, but then I would be out,” he explained. “As I’ve said, I wanted the sewer board people removed.” Du Bois referenced potential legislative changes from the proposed Senate Bill 187 that could affect how members of the sewer board are appointed or removed, though he was unsure of the status of those measures. Can Du Bois Serve – And Could He Stop the Sewer Project? If Du Bois were to win the Republican primary, then become ineligible to serve by moving out of the district, state law provides a mechanism for filling the vacancy on the general election ballot. The party would select a replacement through a caucus of precinct committeemen. That process allows party officials to choose a new nominee, who could include the original opponent or another candidate entirely, to appear on the November ballot. The County Council candidate elected in November would begin their term Friday, Jan. 1, 2027. S.B. 187, authored by Sens. Miek Bohacek, Scott Baldwin and Michael Young, would require board members for regional sewer boards to answer to appointing authorities and to obtain approval from its county fiscal body before incurring new debt. It advanced to second reading Monday, Jan. 26 before dying in the Senate. Neither current Indiana law nor the proposed changes outlined in S.B. 187 would give a county council member authority to halt or control a regional sewer project such as the East Webster expansion. Under existing law, regional sewer districts operate as independent political subdivisions governed by their own boards, which retain control over project approval, financing, construction and rates. County councils do not oversee or direct those decisions. The proposed legislation would have required certain newly created districts – those established after Tuesday, June 30, 2026 – to obtain approval from a county fiscal body before taking on new debt. The measure would not apply to existing districts or to projects that have already secured funding, nor would it grant authority to stop construction once financing and contracts are in place. The East Webster project falls under the authority of the Tippecanoe-Chapman Regional Sewer District, whose board of trustees is responsible for managing the project. That board, not the county council, directs the district’s operations and infrastructure development, with oversight limited primarily to state regulatory and financing agencies. Du Bois said he plans to seek clarification from election officials as he completes required campaign finance filings ahead of an April deadline. “I have lots of questions too,” he said. Early voting in the primary election begins Tuesday, April 7, with voters set to choose between Du Bois and incumbent Kimberly Cates for the Republican nomination. 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