Former Republican Elkhart County Clerk Christopher Anderson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor conversion Thursday. Republicans caucused to elect his replacement Thursday night, and now they’ll have to soon caucus again.
Anderson pleaded to a lesser-included charge, after a grand jury in September indicted him and his chief deputy, Carol Smith, on felony official misconduct. They alleged he routinely paid her for 80 hours every two weeks when she only worked 72.
Prosecutor Vicki Becker said Anderson will be sentenced February 12. She said his plea agreement states that any jail time he might get would be suspended.
Anderson’s plea cancels his trial that was set for Monday. He and Smith initially were to be tried together but court records Thursday showed her trial is still on.
Citing the charges, Anderson recently quit, just as candidate filing for the May primary elections started Wednesday, and the county clerk manages elections. Despite her upcoming trial, Smith was one of four people who declared their candidacy in a party caucus to pick Anderson’s successor Thursday night.
But Patricia Pickens won that four-person race. Pickens is the county auditor, so the party next will have to hold another caucus to elect her replacement.
