Fall promises fuller ballots

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Tuesday was primary election day in Putnam County but it was hard to tell.

Only one of eight vote centers in the county was open.

The election night crowd at the Putnam County courthouse was paltry at best.

A total of 154 showed up to the polls.

Of course, the only contested primary races were in Cloverdale, and the only candidates were on the Republican side.

That trend is unlikely to continue in November, with municipal elections set in Bainbridge, Cloverdale, Fillmore, Greencastle and Roachdale.

In Cloverdale, that means Tuesday’s winners — Clerk-treasurer Cheryl Galloway and council candidates Gary Bennington, Larry Fidler and Rick Dearwester — may face challenges either from the independent or Democrat ranks, should the party choose to nominate any candidates.

In Greencastle, a nearly full slate is already set. The city council races for Third Ward and at-large are already full.

Republican Haywood Ware will face off with Democrat Veronica Pejril for the Third Ward seat currently occupied by Steve Fields.

For at-large, six candidates will vie for three seats: incumbent Mark Hammer, Tyler Wade and Harry Maginity from the GOP, along with incumbent Gary Lemon, Matt Cummings and Kim Fidler on the Democrat side.

Additionally, Mayor Bill Dory (D), Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar (R), First Ward Councilor Adam Cohen (D) and Second Ward Councilor Staci Langdon (R) are all currently unopposed in their re-election bids.

Additionally, no one has filed from either major party to run for the Fourth Ward seat currently occupied by Wade.

The Democratic, Republican or Libertarian parties have until the end of June to select candidates to fill vacancies on the ballot.

While no candidates have yet filed in Bainbridge, Fillmore or Roachdale, this is to be expected. In all three of these towns — and many Indiana small towns — candidates have traditionally run as independents, which requires no primary.

Instead, independent candidates have until noon on Monday, July 1 to submit a petition of nomination with the county voter registration office for verification of signatures.

Bainbridge, Fillmore and Roachdale will each have three town council seats on the ballot, as well as clerk-treasurer.