A new sheriff will be chosen for Kosciusko County through a caucus after former Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine was convicted of a felony May 23.
The caucus is made up of precinct committeemen elected a year ago and a central committee of a chairman, vice chairman, secretary and treasurer who were just elected March 4, 2017.
One of the central committeemen may have a familiar last name. Austin Rovenstine, son of the former sheriff, acts as the County GOP Secretary.
Kosciusko County Republican Chairman Mike Ragan tells News Now Warsaw this will “absolutely not” affect the upcoming caucus.
“His role as secretary would be to take the minutes and he is also a voter,” explains Ragan. “Other than that, his participation, just like most everybody else, is just limited to voting.”
Ragan explains that Austin Rovenstine is an elected representative for Republicans in Kosciusko County.
“We had a vacant seat in the secretary position last fall and Austin Rovenstine was appointed. In the March 4th election, he was unanimously elected without an opponent.”
There are 69 people eligible to vote in the June 21 caucus to select a new sheriff. Mike Ragan would like to see people get more involved in their precincts.
“Its a very important position because you’re representing every man, woman, and child in Kosciusko County. We take it very seriously,” he says.
So far two people have confirmed to News Now Warsaw that they’ve filed for the sheriff’s position– former Warsaw Police Detective Jordan Foreman and current Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Spangle. The Times-Union reports Indiana State Trooper Kyle Dukes has also shown interest in the position.
A member of the Rovenstine family has been Kosciusko County sheriff for 26 of the last 40 years. Prosecutors referred to this as the “Rovenstine dynasty” in a press conference after the former sheriff’s sentencing.
Because former Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine was a Republican, Ragan says its up the the County Republicans to find a replacement. To be eligible for the sheriff position, you must be a Republican in “good standing”– Ragan explains what that means.
“If you are a registered voter living in Kosciusko County and pulled a Republican ballot in the last primary election we would consider you a Republican in good standing.”
