County primary candidate packets available Monday

With the dust now settled on the 2019 municipal election cycle, the Putnam County Voter Registration Office is gearing up for the 2020 county election.

As voters go to the polls next year to decide the direction of the country and the state in the coming years, they’ll also be deciding upon a number of local races as well.

County races set to appear on the 2020 ballot include superior court judge, auditor, treasurer, coroner, both District 1 and District 3 county commissioners and all three at-large county council seats.

Additionally, Republicans will be choosing 13 state convention delegates as well as all GOP precinct committeman positions.

Democrats will be choosing nine state convention delegates but precinct committeemen are not up until 2022.

Candidate packets for any Republic or Democrat seeking one of these positions will be available at the Voter Registration Office on the second floor of the Putnam County Courthouse beginning on Monday, Dec. 30. The courthouse will also be open until noon on New Year’s Eve and closed on New Year’s Day.

The first day a candidate can file is Wednesday, Jan. 8, with a deadline of noon on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Officials currently serving in these county roles (all Republicans) are Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges, Auditor Lorie Hallett, Treasurer Kathy Minnick, Coroner Dave Brown, District 1 Commissioner David Berry, District 3 Commissioner Don Walton and at-large councilmen Gene Beck, Larry Parker and Phil Gick.

While most of these candidates have not stated their intentions for the coming term, Hallett has reached her limit of two terms as auditor, while Brown has indicated he plans to retire.