After seven years, Lake County Board of Elections and Registration assistant director LeAnn Angerman left her position with the elections department to start a new role as regional director for U.S. Sen. Jim Banks.
Angerman’s last day with the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration was Feb. 1, and she begins her new position on Feb. 3. Lake County Republican Party Chairman Randy Niemeyer selected Jessica Messler, the Lake County Republican Party executive director, to take over as assistant director, which is held by a Republican in the bipartisan election office.
Around Christmas time, Angerman said Banks reached out to her to ask if she’d like to come on as regional director. Angerman said she took the weekend to talk to her family and friends about the position and ultimately decided to accept.
“It was not an easy decision because I do love it here. Elections, what we’ve worked on with all the training modules, that is my passion. That is what I love, so it was not an easy choice,” Angerman said.
Angerman and Banks have worked together in the same circles for over a decade, she said, so she’s been able to get to know him and his staff really well.
As regional director, Angerman said she will cover 10 counties in Northwest Indiana as a liaison to the senator. She will meet with local government officials, economic drivers and stakeholders to relay their needs and thoughts to the senator, Angerman said.
“Although I am highly anticipating working for Senator Banks and his team, leaving the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration was the hardest thing I have ever done,” Angerman said in a release.
Angerman said she appreciated working with former Lake County Republican Party Chairman Dan Dernulc and Niemeyer. The election board and office staff “are some of the most talented and dedicated people” she’s met or worked with, Angerman said.
“Working together, regardless of party affiliation, is where the rubber meets the road and I was so proud of this entire team for doing that. The voters of Lake County will always be a priority to me,” Angerman said in the release.
During her time in the election office, Angerman said she was most proud of attending training that led her to become one of only three election administrators in the state who are certified on both the state and national levels
At the start of her tenure, the office completed a mid-year reorganization that resulted in raises that did not increase the office’s overall budget, Angerman said. She had her hand in the office’s branding and lapel pin project, as well as organizing a multi-agency emergency preparedness and physical security training for the staff and agencies from other counties, she said.
Angerman said she’ll never forget running two elections in a presidential year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Director Michelle Fajman said Angerman kept the board members and staff safe on Inspector Saturday ahead of the 2020 general election when protestors marched to the county building and started banging on the windows.
“We’ve been through a whole heck of a lot together,” Fajman said.
Most recently, Angerman had a hand in the election official, voter, poll worker and election administrator manuals which earned a CLEARIE award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
“I enjoyed doing the projects. I enjoyed preparing for the elections and the logistics that were included in that. In elections, what you do changes almost daily,” Angerman said. “The job itself changes frequently, so you don’t get bored, ever.”
Fajman said while she and Angerman have different political backgrounds, they worked really well together because “at heart, what we both care about is that there’s fair and equal elections for everybody.”
“We’ve been together from pandemics to presidential elections, but what I value most is our friendship,” Fajman said. “I don’t think she’s ever going to get elections out of her blood. I think she’s found a real passion for it, and that is not something that’s ever going to leave her.”
Brad King, co-director of the Indiana Election Division, said in the release that Angerman embodied “grace under pressure and working successfully and cooperatively with many different people to achieve consensus and improvements to the election process.”
“That is no small achievement in the world of elections in 2025. Her efforts have provided models for other counties throughout Indiana to use and improve elections in their particular circumstances,” King said.
Niemeyer said in the statement that Angerman exhibited “integrity and professionalism” while serving as assistant director.
“I am grateful for her steadfast dedication. Senator Banks and the people of Northern Indiana will be well served in her new role,” Niemeyer said.
During the election board’s January meeting, board president and Democratic member Kevin Smith thanked Angerman for all she’d done for the office and helping it become more efficient.
“The election board, the election division and the board of elections and registration department is better off because of you and your work,” Smith said.
Republican board member Michael Mellon said Angerman was “a bright shining star” among the people he has worked with in the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration. Angerman was known for working in a bipartisan fashion within the office, he said.
“We’ve lost a major contributor to that whole process,” Mellon said. “It’s exciting for you, but it’s sad for us. Thank you very much. It’s been a tremendous run, and I think we’re a better organization for having worked with you.”
Messler, who works in media production and campaign management for political candidates, said she looks forward to taking on the role of assistant director. With her media production background, Messler said she looks forward to creating poll worker and voter training videos and increasing the office’s presence on social media.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to assist Lake County residents in becoming more familiar with and active in the elections processes and I look forward to assisting the office staff in ensuring free and fair elections,” Messler said in the release.
Agnerman has been training Messler for the role the last two weeks or so. Messler said Angerman has been advising her on a lot about the role, including the importance of working with the staff and helping anyone who comes into the office with questions.
Niemeyer said Messler will bring “a great deal of experience” into the role as officials “look to build upon our success as a team in Lake County elections.”
Messler said she’s met with Fajman a few times already and they seem to work well together. Fajman said Messler will bring a strong set of skills to the role, including video and social media.
“I’m excited for her to come on board,” Fajman said. “She’s got a good head on her shoulders. She’s ready to jump in.”
akukulka@post-trib.com
