Slim win margin for Bumgardner

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

A tight race led to a narrow win by 15 votes for the office of Greencastle Trustee Tuesday night.

During the race, it appeared that Democratic candidate Doris Miller would win over Republic incumbent Thelma Bumgardner. When the first five precinct totals came in, Miller held a 126-vote lead over Bumgardner.

But as the rest of the precinct totals came in, Bumgardner won the election with 1,629 votes against Miller's 1,614 votes, a difference of only 15 votes. This is with 42 percent of registered voters casting both their absentee and machine ballots.

Bumgardner told the BannerGraphic Wednesday that she knew it was going to be a close race. She also said she was glad she won, and will continue on for another four years.

After seeing the precinct totals, Bumgardner said she was stunned at first and was afraid she was not going to make it. She really did not know how the voters felt about the issues, especially the schools.

Bumgardner also commented on her new advisory board member Charles Miles. She said she had worked with Miles before and was glad to have him on board.

Also on the advisory board are Karen Hill Ambler and Marilyn Clearwaters. Miles beat out incumbent Eleanor Delp by 289 votes.

Even though Miller was not present at the courthouse during the reading of the ballots, she said she was OK with Bumgardner's win.

Both Miller and Bumgardner commented that they ran clean campaigns and ran on their own qualities.

Bumgardner said she appreciated Miler running against her. She also said she has known Miller all her life and knows she worked hard during this year's election.

In other election news, Republican candidate Marty Watts, who ran unopposed for the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court, felt the election had an excellent turnout.

She said the excellent turnout speaks well for voters who came to cast both their absentee and machine ballots. She appreciated the efforts voters made to go out and vote for the candidates.

Watts, who will take the place of Opal Sutherlin in January, is looking forward to working in the office and seeing to everyone's needs.

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