Alexander looks to get back into county government

A former Putnam County official will look to get back into county government following an eight-year absence.

Kristina (Warren) Alexander is seeking a third term as the Putnam County auditor.

Having served as a deputy auditor previously, Alexander was first elected auditor in 1996, serving two terms from 1997 through 2004.

At that point, limited to two consecutive terms as auditor, Alexander was elected the District 3 Putnam County Commissioner in 2004, serving two more terms from 2005-2012.

Alexander joins Tina Sillery in the race for the GOP nomination in the Tuesday, May 5 primary election. Sillery is a former deputy auditor.

The Democratic Party also made its first two additions to the primary at the county level.

Retired dentist Perry Wainman is seeking the Democrat nomination for Putnam County coroner. Currently, no Republican is seeking the office.

Current Coroner Dave Brown, a Republican, is not seeking a third term.

Additionally, Benny Whitlock is seeking the Democrat nomination for one of the three at-large seats on the Putnam County Council.

In 2015, Whitlock lost in the primary seeking the Fourth Ward seat on the Greencastle City Council.

Currently, the only Republican seeking one of the slots is incumbent Larry Parker.

Fellow incumbents Gene Beck and Phil Gick have not filed to seek another term.

Other county-level races remain unchanged since early last week, with District 3 Commissioner Don Walton facing three challengers for the Republican nomination — Tom Burnett, Shawn McCammack Sr. and Greg Williams.

Unopposed Republican Incumbents include District 1 Commissioner David Berry, Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges and County Treasurer Kathy Minnick.

Candidate packets for any Republic or Democrat seeking county-level offices on the primary — including Republican precinct committeemen and delegates to the Republican or Democrat state convention — are available at the Voter Registration Office on the second floor of the Putnam County Courthouse.

The deadline to file to appear on the primary ballot is noon on Friday, Feb. 7.

For more information, contact Voter Registration Clerk Stacia Hathaway at 655-1538.

In state-level races of local interest, District 37 State Sen. Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville), who currently serves as president pro tem of the Senate, will seek another term. There are currently no other District 37 candidates on either side of the aisle.

District 37 serves the southern half of Putnam County.

For voters in the northern part of the county, incumbent District 24 State Sen. John Crane (R-Avon) has not yet filed, nor has any other Republican. However, Stan Albaugh of Avon is seeking the Democrat nod in District 24.

Currently District 44 State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) remains unopposed in either party for a second term in office.

Baird’s father, Congressman Jim Baird (R-Greencastle), thus far has no primary opponent for a second term in Washington.

From the Democrat ranks, three people are now seeking the congressional seat in Indiana’s Fourth District in Joe Mackey, Howard Pollchik and Veronikka Ziol.