There is little question that Chunia Graves is a Democrat. She is part of the Indiana Democratic Party’s 2023-24 class of emerging leaders, is the vice president of the Marion County Young Democrats and voted in last year’s Democratic primary.
But Graves, a Division I athlete who spent years in Florida and California pursuing her degrees before returning to Indianapolis, is not allowed to run as a Democrat for a Senate seat on the northeast side.
That’s because of a relatively new state law that dictates who can run as a Republican or Democrat. To prove party affiliation, candidates are required to show their last two votes in primary elections were for the party they aim to represent on the ballot. County party chairs also can waive the requirement.
More background here on a recent Indiana Supreme Court case.