Republican prosecutor nominee Charles Waggoner admitted Tuesday that he made a mistake in going to visit polling places the day of the primary election.

Waggoner said he visited seven polling places to thank the workers before he realized it was against the election code.

The candidates in the election are required by law to stay 50 feet away from the polling places when talking to voters.

Waggoner said he was careful not to speak to any voters at the sites. Instead, he went inside to thank the poll workers for the time and effort they put into the election and for putting up signs outside the buildings.

At his eighth stop, the Silver Lake Conservation Club, Waggoner said a poll worker asked him if he had credentials. When Waggoner said he did not, he was asked to leave and he did not enter any polling places after Silver Lake.

In a press release, Waggoner said, "On Monday following the election, it was brought to my attention that entering any poll other then the one where a person voted was against the election code. I was unaware of this statute and am embarrassed in making such an error. I apologize for any problems this may have caused."

Waggoner said his stops were not meant to greet voters, but to simply say "thank-you" to the poll workers. He said he did not even introduce himself by name to the workers.

"My knowledge (of elections) has grown exponentially over the last few hours," Waggoner said Tuesday. He said he and his wife are continuing to research the election rules and consequences of his action.

The Kosciusko County election board has jurisdiction over the situation, Waggoner said, but he did not know if any formal complaint was made.

Kosciusko County Republican Chairman Mike Miner said he did not know what steps will be taken to investigate the incident.

Miner said several poll workers approached him after the election and asked if Waggoner was allowed in the polling places.

The current prosecutor's office may investigate the incident, but incumbent David Kolbe would probably ask for a special prosecutor, Miner said, since Kolbe was on the same ticket in the election as Waggoner.

The county election board may hold their own investigation to determine if the incidents had an effect on the election. The offense has the potential to be a criminal charge, but the prosecutor must determine if any crime was committed. [[In-content Ad]]