Rokita promises investigation into race

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Todd Rokita will investigate charges that the man who hopes to replace him as secretary of state, Charlie White, committed voter fraud.

We caught up with Rokita as he campaigned for Congress. The current secretary of state says he plans to maintain his reputation for battling voter fraud.

"We'll handle it like any other request," he said.

He's talking about the request from state Democratic Chairman Dan Parker, who says White committed fraud when he listed his ex-wife's house on his voter registration for the May primary while he lived in a new townhouse. Using his ex-wife’s address allowed the GOP secretary of state candidate to remain on the Fishers Town Council after moving out of his district.

"I don't know if there's any evidence here yet in those kinds of situations,” says Rokita, "but my office has been directed by me personally to take a look."

And now Parker has a new charge. He says that because White listed one address on his voter registration and another on his candidacy form, he violated a law that requires candidates to be properly registered.

"So the question now becomes and needs to be part of Todd Rokita's investigation, is Charlie White a legitimate candidate for secretary of state?" Parker said.

Rokita says he will judge the matter fairly.

"I'm always judging cases that have to do with members of my party and no one can ever put on me in my record the fact that I've been biased," he said. But he also says he will consider the source of the allegations.

If Rokita finds fraud, he has no power to punish White. He can, however, relay that finding to a prosecutor or the state election commission with a recommendation that they take action.