INDIANAPOLIS — In a recent letter to the Indiana Office of Inspector General and the state Ethics Commission, the League of Women Voters of Indiana questions the use of the secretary of state’s name. State of Indiana on several taxpayer-funded office documents.

According to a letter from the league, provided to FOX59/CBS4, the organization questions whether the current position holder, Diego Morales, “(exceeded) the bounds of the Government Ethics Act” by putting his name/his image featured prominently in several documents, including voting guides, posters and a brochure describing the office.

In the letter sent earlier this month to Inspector General David Cook and Regan Perrodin, director of the state Ethics Commission, the League of Women Voters cited a law from the General Assembly of the ‘Indiana in March 2010 which prohibited state election officials from using their own names and likenesses in publicly funded communications except in specific circumstances.

“(The law) provides that an elected official of the State cannot use his name or image in an audio, video or newspaper publication financed in whole or in part with appropriations voted by the general assembly, whatever whatever the origin of the money. », specifies the law. “(The law) provides that this prohibition does not apply to a communication made by the governor concerning public health or safety, or by an elected official of the State for a publication which has a “compelling reason of public order » approved by the budget. commission and the budgetary agency. (The law) provides that a state elected official may use the title of the position he or she occupies in a communication.

The League of Women Voters of Indiana highlighted several documents in question, including an election “Blow the Whistle,” a 180-page document that the organization said cost more than $35,000. The letter states that 600 copies would have been printed and distributed before the 2024 primary elections.

“The information, while relevant to the Secretary of State’s office, appears to be more of a campaign ploy for the Secretary of State himself, even though he is not listed on the ballot,” can we read in the letter. The person’s name is larger than the office name. That’s a lot of money to spend on such a document and a flashy whistle. It seems like a trick to use taxpayer dollars to promote himself to the public and others in official venues rather than providing information that could be useful to 92 county election boards.

Other documents the league references in its letter include a road map, a brochure describing the office as well as a supplemental state election guide that puts “the secretary’s name and photo prominently on the documents.”