The Lake County Board of Elections and Registration dismissed an election complaint, along party lines, and made minor precinct changes Tuesday.
Suzy Barnhart, a poll worker, filed a complaint on Nov. 6, 2025 against Anastasia Kouros, the Democratic inspector of the Schererville 15 precinct, for not following proper procedures in setting up a polling location.
In her complaint, Barnhart stated that Kouros sent her a text message Nov. 3, 2025 at 11:24 a.m. to let her know that precinct set up would take place at 12 p.m. Receiving the text about 30 minutes before the polling location set up time “was unreasonable and not in accordance with proper bipartisan procedure,” Barnhart wrote in her complaint.
Barnhart stated that when she arrived at the polling location, the machines were already unlocked and being set up without bipartisan oversight, according to the complaint.
Barnhart wrote that Kouros had a Republican poll worker from another precinct sign off on the set up, “which is not permitted.”
Throughout Election Day, Kouros was “sarcastic, controlling and difficult to work with though polite in front of voters,” Barnhart wrote. Further, Barnhart said Kouros made an insensitive comment after Barnhart mentioned that a photo of her fiancé, who was killed in the line of duty, was displayed in the polling location.
Kouros said “in hindsight” she should have given Barnhart more notice about the set up, but that she was busy between work and school so she texted Barnhart instead of giving her a call much sooner.
But, Kouros said her understanding of the training she received was that if a judge was delayed, another credentialed poll worker from the same political party could come to help set up.
“I knew there were already bipartisan staff from other precincts present in the building, so my understanding was we were allowed to proceed with set up,” Kouros said.
When Barnhart arrived, she was recording and “immediately began accusing multiple poll workers of violating election law before we had even met in person,” Kouros said.
Kouros said she was professional throughout Election Day and made sure she worked with poll workers from both parties. Kouros also said she did not make an insensitive comment about Barnhart’s comment.
Further, Barnhart said an inspector from a different precinct — who she didn’t name in the complaint or at the meeting — overheard her concerns and questioned her about her previous experience in working elections.
After some words, the other inspector stated that the precinct follows the rules laid out by the Lake County election office officials, Barnhart said, adding she took issue with that because the state legislature and the Indiana Election Division establish election laws.
Lake County Clerk Michael Brown said when he read the complaint, he was concerned that Barnhart didn’t name one of the inspectors she interacted with while calling out the election office. When election workers are trained, election staff always train them to follow Indiana election code and law, he said.
Chairman Kevin Smith said the board will consider the complaints made against Kouros since she is named in the complaint. Ultimately, Smith said the complaint rises to a training issue but not an election law violation.
Board member Charlene Foss-Eggemann, who replaced former member Michael Mellon, said election law was violated by the setting up and unsealing of election equipment without Barnhart present. Foss-Eggemann said she didn’t see anywhere in code that stated another Republican from a different precinct could be involved in setup.
Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Director Michelle Fajman said years ago the board allowed for a poll worker from the same party from another precinct to help with election setup until Election Day morning.
The board voted 3-2 to dismiss the case, with Republican members John Reed and Foss-Eggemann voting against the dismissal.
The board approved changing the Highland 20 polling location from Meadows Park to Immanuel Church of Christ because the previous location had roof leakage at the Meadows Park building, Fajman said.
The board approved changing the Lake Station 08 polling location, which was recently combined with Lake Station 09, to Community Presbyterian Church, 2800 Fayette Street, because it is a central location for the voters in the area, Fajman said.
The board also approved a resolution for combined polling places, which contain precincts with less than 500 registered voters:
- Cedar Lake precincts 01 and 10 will vote in the St. Michael the Archangel Church.
- Cedar Lake precincts 07, 08, and 09 will vote in the Cedar Lake Town Hall.
- Crown Point precincts 21 and 26 will vote in White Hawk Country Club.
- Eagle Creek Township precincts 01 and 02 will vote in Rangeline Presbyterian Church.
- Gary precincts 5-06 and 5-16 will vote in the Roosevelt Park Pavilion.
- Gary precincts 5-22 and 5-28 will vote in Daniel Hale Williams Elementary School.
- Griffith precincts 01 and 01-A will vote in the North Fire Station no. 3.
- Griffith precincts 07, 17 and St. John Township precinct 03 will vote in the Griffith Fire Station #2.
- Hobart Township precincts 05 and 08 will vote in the New Chicago Fire Department.
- Lake Station precinct 11 and Hobart Township precinct 09 will vote in the Hobart Township Community Center in Lake Station.
- Merrillville precinct 12 and Ross Township precinct 20 will vote in Trinity Free Methodist Church.
- St. John precincts 07, 13 and 19 will vote in Clark Middle School in St. John.
- St. John precincts 08 and 10 will vote in the St. John Public Library.
- West Creek Township precincts 02 and 01 will vote in the Lake County Highway Department in Lowell.
akukulka@post-trib.com
