(ELKHART) - Elkhart County Clerk Christopher Anderson has resigned from office.
Anderson and Chief Deputy Clerk Carol Smith were indicted in September 2025 on charges of official misconduct and criminal conversion. The indictment stems from allegations that the pair approved the expenditure of public money without having the proper authorization.
In September 2024, the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office and the Indiana State Board of Accounts were contacted about some clerk employees that were receiving payment for hours that they didn't work, and that this had been going on for several years.
The Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office says a public report found that Anderson was aware of this practice of paying supervisors for 80 hours, even though they only had to work 72 hours. They also allege that Smith had sent an e-mail to a newly appointed supervisor of the Clerk's Office in August 2022 that they would be paid for more hours than they were actually working.
Anderson and Smith are both facing felony charges of official misconduct and misdemeanor counts of criminal conversion.
Elkhart County online court records say Anderson is due in court January 8 and his jury trial is set to begin January 12. Smith's jury trial is set to start the same day.
The Elkhart County Republican Party has announced a caucus to fill Anderson's seat will be held on January 8.