View source for 2022 Indiana Secretary of State election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2022 Indiana Secretary of State election
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| election_date = November 8, 2022
| country = Indiana
| previous_election = 2018 Indiana Secretary of State election
| previous_year = 2018
| next_election = 2026 Indiana Secretary of State election
| next_year = 2026
| nominee1 = '''[[Diego Morales (politician)|Diego Morales]]'''
| party1 = Indiana Republican Party
| popular_vote1 = '''999,679'''
| percentage1 = '''54.1%'''
| image1 = [[File:Diego Morales (cropped).jpg|x150px]]
| nominee2 = Destiny Wells
| party2 = Indiana Democratic Party 
| popular_vote2 = 742,554
| percentage2 = 40.2%
| image2 = [[File:No image.svg|x110px]]
| map_image = File:2022 Indiana Secretary of State election results map by county.svg
| map_size = 250px
| map_caption = County results<br/>'''Morales:''' {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}<br/>'''Wells:''' {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = [[Secretary of State of Indiana|Secretary of State]]
| before_election = [[Holli Sullivan]]
| before_party = Indiana Republican Party
| after_election = [[Diego Morales (politician)|Diego Morales]]
| after_party = Indiana Republican Party
| party3 = Libertarian Party (US)
| nominee3 = Jeff Maurer
| image3 = [[File:No image.svg|x110px]]
| popular_vote3 = 104,503
| percentage3 = 5.7%
}}
{{ElectionsIN}}

The '''2022 Indiana Secretary of State election''' took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the next [[Secretary of State of Indiana|secretary of state]] of [[Indiana]]. [[Holli Sullivan]], a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] who was appointed to replace [[Connie Lawson]] as Secretary of State in 2021, ran for a full term in office but was defeated in the Republican primary by [[Diego Morales (politician)|Diego Morales]]. The [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]], Republican, and [[Libertarian Party (US)|Libertarian]] parties chose their nominees for Secretary of State at a party convention on June 18, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 3, 2022 |title=Here's why secretary of state, auditor and treasurer are not on the primary ballot |url=https://www.wthr.com/article/news/politics/elections/heres-why-secretary-of-state-auditor-and-treasurer-are-not-on-the-primary-ballot-indiana-republican-democrat-libertarian/531-ad016a72-6639-47a7-ad17-da96d9f2eaaf |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=WTHR |language=en-US}}</ref>

Despite Indiana's [[Politics of Indiana|strong Republican lean]], polls showed a competitive race. Republican nominee [[Diego Morales (politician)|Diego Morales]] faced numerous controversies, including: the fact that he was previously fired from a position in the Secretary of State office; his echoing of [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|Donald Trump's false accusations of fraud in the 2020 elections]]; his use of campaign funds to purchase a $43,000 [[Toyota RAV4]]; his description of himself as a "veteran" even though he only served in the military for three months and he was in the [[Indiana Army National Guard]], not the [[U.S. Armed Forces]] (the federal definition of a "veteran" only includes the Armed Forces); claims that portions of his [[resume]] are exaggerated or misleading; and two accusations of sexual harassment against him.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/ex-pence-aide-seeks-indiana-elections-office-that-fired-him | title=Ex-Pence aide seeks Indiana elections office that fired him | date=June 2, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/19/diego-morales-indiana-secretary-of-state-candidate-campaign-money/65375995007/ | title=Secretary of State candidate Diego Morales used campaign funds for $43,000 car }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thestatehousefile.com/politics/diego-morales-responds-to-criticism-of-using-veteran-to-describe-himself/article_0c6c0dd6-360b-11ed-9072-dfcbb40f7d78.html | title=Diego Morales responds to criticism of using "veteran" to describe himself }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jconline.com/story/news/local/indiana/2018/03/15/ex-pence-indiana-aide-running-congress-defends-resume/430019002/ | title=Ex-Pence Indiana aide running for Congress defends resume }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thestatehousefile.com/briefs/morales-responds-to-sexual-harassment-accusations/article_782172c0-40fe-11ed-8adf-9f88e72186e0.html | title=Morales responds to sexual harassment accusations }}</ref> After winning the Republican nomination, he changed his stance on the 2020 presidential election, telling ''[[The Washington Post]]'' that he believed Biden won legitimately. [[WTHR]] commented that Morales received the most negative press of any statewide candidate in Indiana since [[Richard Mourdock]] in the [[2012 United States Senate election in Indiana#Pregnancy from rape controversy|2012 Senate race]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wthr.com/article/news/politics/howey-diego-morales-and-the-press-midterm-election-2022-indiana-secretary-of-state/531-de812b56-e435-4e1f-b4ce-7a2a3a09f150 | title=HOWEY: Diego Morales and the press}}</ref>

Despite Morales's controversies, he secured a decisive victory over Wells and Maurer. However, he underperformed all other statewide Republican nominees in Indiana by 5-7 percentage points.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2022/11/08/indiana-election-results-secretary-of-state-is-up-for-grabs/69541311007/ | title=Republicans win Indiana auditor, treasurer & secretary of state races}}</ref>

{{toclimit|2}}

==Republican convention==
Incumbent Secretary of State [[Connie Lawson]] resigned in 2021 due to health issues. Governor [[Eric Holcomb]] chose state representative [[Holli Sullivan]] to replace her, and Sullivan announced she would run for a full term. The Republican primary for Secretary of State was the most expensive in two decades, with challenger Diego Morales leading Sullivan in fundraising.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cloutier |first=Jimmy |date=2022-02-17 |title=Indiana's secretary of state race on track to be the most expensive in two decades |url=https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/02/indiana-secretary-of-state-race-most-expensive-since-2002/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=OpenSecrets News |language=en}}</ref> Morales was endorsed by the [[America First Secretary of State Coalition]], a conservative group that supports a slate of candidates in the [[2022 United States secretary of state elections]].<ref name="americafirstsos.com">{{Cite web |date=2018-11-26 |title=Candidates - America First Secretary of State Coalition |url=https://americafirstsos.com/candidates/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=americafirstsos.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Candidates===
====Nominee====
*[[Diego Morales (politician)|Diego Morales]], former aide to [[Governor of Indiana|governor]] [[Mike Pence]] and candidate for [[Indiana's 4th congressional district]] in [[2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana#District 4|2018]]<ref name=phdm/><ref name=hsdm/>

====Eliminated at convention====
*Paul Hager, perennial candidate<ref name=phdm>{{cite web |title=Crowded GOP field for Indiana State Treasurer's Post |url=https://www.953mnc.com/2021/08/02/crowded-gop-field-for-indiana-state-treasurers-post/ |website=www.953mnc.com |access-date=9 January 2022 |date=2 August 2021}}</ref>
*[[Holli Sullivan]], incumbent secretary of state<ref name=hsdm>{{cite web |last1=Carden |first1=Dan |title=WATCH NOW: Indiana secretary of state launches campaign for full term in 2022 |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/watch-now-indiana-secretary-of-state-launches-campaign-for-full-term-in-2022/article_76db4454-6a1d-58c3-a367-6983179f753f.html |website=www.nwitimes.com |publisher=[[The Times of Northwest Indiana]] |access-date=9 January 2022 |date=26 April 2021}}</ref>
*David Shelton, [[Knox County, Indiana|Knox County]] clerk<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indypolitics.org/knox-county-clerk-to-enter-sos-race/ | title=Knox County Clerk to Enter SOS Race }}</ref>

====Did not file====
*Kyle Conrad, [[Newton County, Indiana|Newton County]] commissioner<ref>{{cite web |title=Newton County native announces run for Secretary of State |url=https://www.newsbug.info/monticello_herald_journal/news/local/newton-county-native-announces-run-for-secretary-of-state/article_28b3c896-c87e-5a62-8825-f40d8ef96d3a.html |website=www.newsbug.info |access-date=9 January 2022 |date=2 December 2021}}</ref>

=== Endorsements ===
{{Endorsements box|title=Diego Morales|width=50em|list=;Organizations
*[[America First Secretary of State Coalition]]<ref name="americafirstsos.com">{{Cite web |date=2018-11-26 |title=Candidates - America First Secretary of State Coalition |url=https://americafirstsos.com/candidates/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=americafirstsos.com |language=en-US}}</ref>}}

==Democratic convention==
===Candidates===
====Nominee====
*Destiny Wells, attorney, lieutenant colonel in the [[U.S. Army Reserve]], deputy chair of the [[Indiana Democratic Party]], and former deputy attorney general<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carden |first1=Dan |title=Military veteran launches bid for Indiana secretary of state |url=https://www.shelbynews.com/news/state/military-veteran-launches-bid-for-indiana-secretary-of-state/article_240ee46a-a725-539c-b189-ed556679c23a.html |website=www.shelbynews.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |date=9 January 2022 |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112210259/https://www.shelbynews.com/news/state/military-veteran-launches-bid-for-indiana-secretary-of-state/article_240ee46a-a725-539c-b189-ed556679c23a.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/18/indiana-republican-convention-secretary-of-sstate-nomination-gop-diego-morales-holli-sullivan/7608822001/ | title=GOP delegates buck establishment, nominate Morales over Sullivan for secretary of state }}</ref>
===Endorsements===
{{Endorsements box
| title = Destiny Wells
| width = 50em
| list =
; Local officials 
*[[Joe Hogsett]], 49th [[Mayor of Indianapolis]], former [[U.S. Attorney]] for the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana|Southern District of Indiana]] and 57th [[Indiana Secretary of State]]<ref name=2Endorse/>
; Labor unions
*[[Indiana AFL–CIO]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://inaflcio.org/labor2022 | title=Labor 2022 &#124; Indiana State AFL-CIO }}</ref>
*[[IUOE]] Local 150<ref>{{cite web | url=https://local150.org/newsroom/57464/ | title=Indiana Primary Election Candidate Endorsements Announced | date=April 26, 2022 }}</ref>
;Organizations
*[[VoteVets]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://readthereporter.com/votevets-endorses-destiny-wells-for-secretary-of-state/ | title=VoteVets endorses Destiny Wells for Secretary of State | date=September 21, 2022 |access-date=September 27, 2022}}</ref>
*[[Indiana Democratic Party]]<ref name=2Endorse>{{cite web | url=https://indianacitizen.org/could-wells-be-first-democratic-secretary-of-state-in-almost-30-years/ | title=Could Wells be first Democratic secretary of state in almost 30 years? |website=The Indiana Citizen | date=September 25, 2022 |access-date=September 27, 2022}}</ref>
; Newspapers 
*''[[The Herald Bulletin]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.heraldbulletin.com/opinion/our-view-editorial-destiny-wells-has-the-character-to-be-secretary-of-state/article_4b095be0-544a-11ed-98f3-839b3cf51ff8.html|title=Our view editorial: Destiny Wells has the character to be secretary of state|website=The Herald Bulletin|date=October 31, 2022|access-date=November 6, 2022}}</ref>
}}

==Libertarian convention==
===Nominee===
*Jeff Maurer, entrepreneur<ref>{{cite web |title=Carmel resident Jeff Maurer running for Indiana Secretary of State |url=https://readthereporter.com/carmel-resident-jeff-maurer-running-for-indiana-secretary-of-state/ |access-date=9 January 2022 |date=21 August 2021}}</ref>

==General election==
===Debate===
On October 10, a debate for the Secretary of State election was held by [[WFYI (TV)|WFYI]] and the [[League of Women Voters]]. Democrat Destiny Wells and Libertarian Jeff Maurer participated in the debate, while Morales skipped it to attend a meeting of the [[Warrick County]] Republican Party. Wells and Maurer heavily criticized Morales for not attending the debate. While both agreed that [[Joe Biden]] won the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 presidential election]], Maurer called for an [[election audit]] of every Indiana county, while Wells did not. When asked about the problem of low [[voter turnout]], Wells proposed [[Redistricting commission|independent redistricting]], keeping [[polling places]] open longer, and extending the window for [[early voting]] as ways to increase turnout, while Maurer blamed the [[Political parties in the United States|two-party system]] for creating a lack of competition.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lange |first1=Kaitlin |title=Secretary of State debate: Diego Morales is a no-show and other takeaways |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2022/10/11/indiana-secretary-of-state-diego-morales-skips-debate-plus-takeaways/69551908007/ |publisher=[[The Indianapolis Star]] |date=10 October 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ 2022 Indiana Secretary of State debate
|-
! scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! scope="col" | Date
! scope="col" | Host
! scope="col" | Moderator
! scope="col" | Link
! scope="col"| <small>[[Republican Party (US)|Republican]]</small>
! scope="col"| <small>[[Democratic Party (US)|Democratic]]</small>
! scope="col"| <small>[[Libertarian Party (US)|Libertarian]]</small>
|-
! colspan="5" rowspan="2" |Key:<br />{{Colors|black|#90ff90|&nbsp;P&nbsp;}} <small>Participant&nbsp;</small> {{Colors|black|#FFFFDD|&nbsp;A&nbsp;}} <small>Absent&nbsp;</small> {{Colors|black|#ff9090|&nbsp;N&nbsp;}} <small>Not invited&nbsp;</small> {{Colors|black|#CCFFCC|&nbsp;I&nbsp;}} <small>Invited {{color box|#f0e68c|W}} Withdrawn</small>
! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}"|
! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}"|
! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Libertarian Party (US)}}"|
|-
! scope="col" | [[Diego Morales (politician)|Diego Morales]]
! scope="col" | Destiny Wells
! scope="col" | Jeff Maurer
|-
!1
| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Oct. 25, 2022
| style="white-space:nowrap;" | [[WFYI (TV)|WFYI]]<br/>[[League of Women Voters]]<br/>of Indiana
| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Laura Wilson
| style="white-space:nowrap;" | [https://www.pbs.org/video/2022-indiana-secretary-of-state-debate-3m2z0k/ PBS]
| {{Yes-No|'''A'''}}
| {{Yes|'''P'''}}
| {{Yes|'''P'''}}
|}

=== Predictions ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Source
!Ranking
!As of
|-
|align=left | [[Sabato's Crystal Ball]]<ref name="Sabato's Crystal Ball">{{cite web |title=Secretary of State and Attorney General: What to Watch for Next Week in Key Statewide Contests |url=https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/sos-and-ag-what-to-watch-for-next-week-in-key-statewide-contests/ |website=Sabato's Crystal Ball |date=November 3, 2022 |access-date=November 3, 2022}}</ref>
|{{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
|November 3, 2022
|-
| align="left" |[[Elections Daily]]<ref name="Elections Daily">{{cite web |title=Elections Daily Secretary of State Ratings |url=https://elections-daily.com/2022/11/07/elections-daily-secretary-of-state-ratings/ |last=Solomon |first=Zack |website=Elections Daily |date=November 7, 2022 |access-date=November 29, 2022}}</ref>
|{{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
|November 7, 2022
|}

=== Polling ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|- valign=bottom
! Poll source
! Date(s)<br />administered
! Sample<br />size{{efn|Key:<br />A – all adults<br />RV – registered voters<br />LV – likely voters<br />V – unclear|name="Key"}}
! Margin<br />of error
! style="width:100px;"| Diego<br />Morales (R)
! style="width:100px;"| Destiny<br />Wells (D)
! style="width:100px;"| Jeff<br />Maurer (L)
! Undecided
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[https://indypolitics.org/poll-shows-trouble-for-morales/ Indy Politics/ARW Strategies (R)]
|September 25–26, 2022
|600 (LV)
|±&nbsp;4.0%
|32%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''36%'''
|7%
|25%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[https://indypolitics.org/sos-race-virtually-tied/ Indy Politics/ARW Strategies (R)]
|July 19–21, 2022
|800 (LV)
|±&nbsp;3.5%
|28%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''31%'''
|7%
|{{party shading/Undecided}}|'''34%'''
|}

=== Results ===
{{align|right|{{Switcher| [[File:2022 Indiana Secretary of State election swing map by county.svg|300px]]|Swing by county<br>{{collapsible list| title = Legend|{{legend|#00a1c8|Democratic — +>15%}}|{{legend|#00bdec|Democratic — +12.5-15%}}|{{legend|#09ceff|Democratic — +10-12.5%}}|{{legend|#4bdbff|Democratic — +7.5-10%}}|{{legend|#77e3ff|Democratic — +5-7.5%}}|{{legend|#AAEEFF|Democratic — +2.5-5%}}|{{legend|#D5F6FF|Democratic — +0-2.5%}}|{{legend|#FFD5D5|Republican — +0-2.5%}}|{{legend|#FFAAAA|Republican — +2.5-5%}}|{{legend|#FF8080|Republican — +5-7.5%}}|{{legend|#FF5555|Republican — +7.5-10%}}|{{legend|#FF2A2A|Republican — +10-12.5%}}|{{legend|#FF0000|Republican — +12.5-15%}}|{{legend|#D40000|Republican — +>15%}}
}}|[[File:2022 Indiana Secretary of State election trend map by county.svg|300px]]|Trend by county<br>{{collapsible list| title = Legend|{{legend|#00a1c8|Democratic — +>15%}}|{{legend|#00bdec|Democratic — +12.5-15%}}|{{legend|#09ceff|Democratic — +10-12.5%}}|{{legend|#4bdbff|Democratic — +7.5-10%}}|{{legend|#77e3ff|Democratic — +5-7.5%}}|{{legend|#AAEEFF|Democratic — +2.5-5%}}|{{legend|#D5F6FF|Democratic — +0-2.5%}}|{{legend|#FFD5D5|Republican — +0-2.5%}}|{{legend|#FFAAAA|Republican — +2.5-5%}}|{{legend|#FF8080|Republican — +5-7.5%}}|{{legend|#FF5555|Republican — +7.5-10%}}|{{legend|#FF2A2A|Republican — +10-12.5%}}|{{legend|#FF0000|Republican — +12.5-15%}}|{{legend|#D40000|Republican — +>15%}}}}}}}}

{{Election box begin
| title = 2022 Indiana Secretary of State election<ref>{{cite web |title=Indiana Election Results November 8, 2022 |url=https://enr.indianavoters.in.gov/site/index.html |website=Indiana Election Division}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|candidate=[[Diego Morales (politician)| Diego Morales]]|party=Indiana Republican Party |votes= 999,679|percentage=54.13%|change=-2.09%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|candidate=Destiny Wells|party= Indiana Democratic Party|votes= 742,554|percentage=40.20%|change=-0.37%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|candidate=Jeff Maurer|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|votes= 104,503|percentage=5.66%|change=+2.49%}}
{{Election box write-in with party link
| votes = 143
| percentage = 0.01%
| change = -0.03%
}}
{{Election box total
| votes = 1,846,879
| percentage = 100.0%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing
| winner = Indiana Republican Party 
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
;Official campaign websites:
*[https://diego4indiana.com Diego Morales (R) for Secretary of State]
*[https://www.maurerforindiana.com Jeff Maurer (L) for Secretary of State]
*[https://wellsforindiana.com Destiny Wells (D) for Secretary of State]

{{2022 United States elections}}

[[Category:2022 Indiana elections|Secretary of State]]
[[Category:2022 United States state secretary of state elections|Indiana]]
[[Category:Indiana Secretary of State elections]]