Wells County Republican Party Announces Resignation of Coroner Cliff Thomas and Schedules Caucus to Fill Vacancy
Bluffton, IN – Wells County Republican Party Chairman Preston T. Wright announced today that Wells County Coroner Cliff Thomas has submitted his resignation, effective immediately.
“I appreciate that Cliff has finally chosen to do the right thing for the community by resigning. This allows the Coroner’s Office to focus on its important work and operate with stability. I would like to thank Wells County Council President Seth Whicker, Wells County Prosecutor Colin Andrews, and Wells County Attorney Ted Storer for their thorough research and thoughtful guidance on the options we were evaluating. I also want to thank Wells County Chief Deputy Coroner Hilarie Gaskill for keeping the office running smoothly since the incident, as well as the many other elected officials who provided support behind the scenes. I hope Cliff gets the help he needs and can move forward in a positive way, while the judicial system ensures accountability,” Wright said.
The Wells County Republican Party will hold a caucus to fill the vacancy for the office of Wells County Coroner. The caucus will take place on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Wells County Republican Headquarters, 125 S Johnson St, Bluffton, IN.
Candidates interested in being considered for the position must meet the following qualifications:
Be a “Qualified Primary Republican” as defined by Indiana Republican State Committee Rule 1-24, meaning a voter who cast a Republican Party ballot at the two most recent primary elections in Indiana in which the voter voted, and who is a Republican in Good-Standing
Reside within Wells County
Meet all requirements to hold the office of coroner as outlined in the Indiana Code
To be eligible for consideration, candidates must file a Declaration of Candidacy (Form CEB-5) with the Caucus Chairman, Preston T. Wright, no later than 72 hours prior to the caucus. The CEB-5 form is available online at: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/election-administrators-portal/election-forms/
Until a new coroner is selected, the office will continue to operate under the leadership of Chief Deputy Coroner Hilarie Gaskill, ensuring uninterrupted service to the community.
For more information or to submit questions, please contact the Wells County Republican Party by visiting wells.gop/contact.
The Wells County Republican Party does not endorse candidates in primaries or caucuses for local positions.
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