Ware, Monday capture city primary races

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The answer to "who" was Ware. Wright was on the wrong end. And Monday had a heckuva day on Tuesday.

And that, in a nutshell, was the 2015 City of Greencastle primary election.

Tuesday's primary victory by Haywood Ware (left) on the GOP ballot sets up a general election battle with Democrat Bill Dory (right) for mayor of Greencastle.

With just one contested race on either side of the political aisley, a measly 10.5 percent of registered city voters bothered to go to the polls on a warm and sunny Tuesday.

Of the city's 6,623 registered voters, only 696 cast ballots in the primary, and of those, just 524 actually went to the polls on Tuesday.

The biggest race was on the Republican ticket where Haywood Ware, 65, 208 S. Arlington St., easily defeated his GOP mayoral foe, Jim Wright, 72, 902 S. Illinois St. to earn the right to challenge Democrat William Dory, 56, 320 Highfall Ave., in the Nov. 3 general election.

Ware, a former mayor of Pflugerville, Texas, who moved to Greencastle five years ago, outpaced Wright in all eight city precincts to produce a 338-121 victory. In fact, Ware had nearly as many votes in Second East (93) as Wright did over the entire city.

Dory, who has served as Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center executive director since 1994, ran unopposed on the Democrat ballot, polling 184 votes.

"Now the fun begins," Dory smiled as he looked over totals on the big chalkboard outside the Clerk's Office at the Putnam County Courthouse

"Now it's time the effort gets rolling full force," he added after congratulating Ware, his November foe.

Ware was a gracious winner, thanking all the voters for participating on Tuesday and reiterating the major issues he sees for the fall mayoral race as the city budget, paying attention to "the entire city, not just parts of it" and getting water and wastewater facilities "squared away so we can quit playing catch-up."

Wright, meanwhile, had little to say after all the results were in, except that he felt wronged by the public. The candidate said he was disappointed that his political yard signs seemed to have been targeted by thieves and obscenity-writing vandals. City Police have recovered a number of his missing signs, the former city street commissioner said, promising he will insist "there's going to be an investigation."

Meanwhile, the lone contested race on the Democrat ballot saw political newcomer Tanis Monday, 33, 18 Highland St., outpoll Benny Whitlock, 66, 907 S. Locust St., by more than three-to-one to win the Fourth Ward City Council nomination.

Monday, the executive director of the Beyond Homeless shelter, scored a 45-14 victory over the retired Whitlock, earning the right to meet incumbent Republican Tyler Wade, 25, 909 Zinc Mill Terrace Drive, in the general election.

"I'm going to Disney World," an excited Monday jokingly squealed before adding that the primary has already been "an incredible experience."

"I'm looking forward to the fall," she said. "This has been a great learning experience. I'm very happy and pleased with the warmth and friendliness seen in our Greencastle politics."

Looking ahead to issues in the general election, Monday said she wants to be certain the Fourth Ward "gets equal attention." Residents there don't think that's been happening, she said, speaking specifically about the need for "more sidewalks and things of that nature."

Wade, a Wabash College admissions counselor who was appointed to the vacant Fourth Ward seat by the Republican Party last October, drew 84 votes in his unopposed run on the GOP ticket.

"I first want to thank everyone that came out to vote and all the employees and volunteers who helped this election go so smoothly," Wade said. " I also want to thank Benny Whitlock for his willingness to enter the race.

"My congratulations go out to Tanis Monday," Wade added. " I look forward to a fun and spirited campaign for our city's future. I am eager to speak to all residents of the Fourth Ward and know that together we will build a better tomorrow."

While the overall voter turnout was bad enough at 10.5 percent, five of the eight city precincts failed to even crack the 10 percent mark. The early vote should have foreshadowed that apathy as only 104 people voted at the courthouse during the period prior to the primary.

The best turnout of the day came in Second East, where 14.73 percent of registered voters cast ballots. Second West was second best with 12.67 percent.

Lowest voter turnout came in First North, where only 7.47 percent of registered voters went to the polls, while just 8.28 percent voted in Fourth Eat and 8.55 percent cast ballots in Third West.

Results in the uncontested races included:

-- Clerk-treasurer: Incumbent Lynda Dunbar (R), 405; Eric Wolfe (D), 165.

-- First Ward: Incumbent Adam Cohen (D), 30; Danny Mesecher (R), 55.

-- Second Ward: Stacie Langdon (R), 175; Brian Cox (D), 69.

-- Third Ward: Harold Barger (R), 75; Steve Fields (D), 33.

-- Council At-Large Republicans: Mark Hammer (R), 367; Clyde Wallace Hinkle (R), 285; Harry Maginity (R), 293.

-- Council At-Large Democrats: Dave Murray (D), 165; Gary Lemon (D), 139.