Candidate filing period closes with flurry of action

A deluge of late candidate filings means there will be contested elections in every Putnam County municipality this fall.

Between noon on Friday and the noon Tuesday filing deadline, 12 new candidates added their names to the ballots in Putnam County, with at least one candidate in all but one race in the county and at least one contested race in each town.

Russellville and Bainbridge each had four last-minute filings to round out their 2015 ballots.

Incumbent Russellville Clerk-Treasurer Devon Davis (I) will face a challenge from Martha Mandleco (I).

Jim Davis (I) and Cary McGaughey (I) added their names to the race for the three at-large town council positions. They join incumbent Cathy Jones (I) and fellow challenger Debbie Bartelt (I) in a four-way race.

New filings give Bainbridge a pair of three-way races for town council positions.

In Ward 1, Raymond Curran (I) and Scott Curran (I) added their names to the race, challenging incumbent Chuck McElwee (I).

Incumbent Bonnie Osborn (I) and newcomer Jim Watson (I) added their names to the Ward 2 race that already featured Jerry Lents (I).

The Bainbridge clerk-treasurer race remains a three-way affair between independents Bobbie Boller, Monica Bray and Pamela Kashman.

One late surprise came in the Fillmore Town Council filings as current Clerk-Treasurer Paul Alleyn (I) filed to run for Ward 1 of the town council against incumbent Curt Leonard (I).

The clerk-treasurer spot on the ballot remains unfilled.

The other two Fillmore Town Council positions each feature one candidate, with Tom Gilson (I) running in Ward 2 and Robin Duncan (I) running in Ward 3.

Two new filings in Roachdale give the town six candidates seeking three at-large town council positions. Zach Bowers (I) is the only incumbent seeking another term, while newcomer Kevin Cook (I) also threw his hat in the ring.

They join a race already featuing independents Holly Cook, Jim Cromwell, Rick Kiefer and Rick Miles Jr.

Another deadline filing gave Cloverdale its only contested race for 2015.

Independent Robyn Hughes is running for clerk-treasurer, challenging incumbent Republican Cheryl Galloway.

The three open Cloverale Town Council positions each have just one candidate. Incumbent Don Sublett (I) is running in Ward 2, while current councilmen Gary Bennington (I, Ward 1) and Larry Fidler (I, At-large) are essentially swapping positions, with Bennington running at-large and Fidler running in Ward 1.

The town candidates join a nearly full slate of candidates in the City of Greencastle election. The city's ballot was set as of the May primary, with the Democratic Party choosing not to fill its remaining open spot in the at-large city council race.

Candidate filings remain unofficial until the names on their candidate petitions are certified. The Voter Registration Office has until July 15 to certify the petitions.

2015 Municipal Elections
Unofficial Ballot

Greencastle
Mayor: Haywood Ware (R), William A. Dory Jr. (D)
Clerk-Treasurer: Lynda R. Dunbar* (R), Eric Wolfe (D)
City Counil At-Large (Vote for 3): Mark N. Hammer (R), Clyde Wallace "Wally" Hinkle (R), Harry Maginity (R), Gary D. Lemon (D), Dave Murray (D)
City Council Ward 1: Danny Mesecher (R), Adam Cohen* (D)
City Council Ward 2: Stacie Langdon (R), Brian Cox (D)
City Council Ward 3: Harold Barger (R), Steve Fields (D)
City Council Ward 4: Tyler J. Wade* (R), Tanis Monday (D)

Bainbridge
Clerk-Treasurer: Bobbi Boller (I), Monica Bray (I), Pamela S. Kashman (I)
Council Ward 1: Raymond Curran (I), Scott Curran (I), Chuck McElwee* (I)
Council Ward 2: Jerry L. Lents (I), Bonnie Osborn* (I), Jim Watson (I)
Council Ward 3: Joel Thompson* (I)

Cloverdale
Clerk-Treasurer: Cheryl Galloway* (R), Robyn Hughes (I)
Council At-Large: Gary E. Bennington (I)
Council Ward 1: Larry Fidler (I)
Council Ward 2: Donald Sublett* (I)

Fillmore
Clerk-Treasurer: No candidates filed
Council Ward 1: Paul Alleyn (I), Curt Leonard* (I)
Council Ward 2: Tom Gilson (I)
Council Ward 3: Robin Duncan (I)

Roachdale
Clerk-Treasurer: Katrina "Kathy" Asher (I), Martha Louk* (I), Debbie Sillery (I)
Town Council At-Large (vote for 3): Zach Bowers* (I), Holly M. Cook (I), Kevin Cook (I), Jim Cromwell (I), Rick Kiefer (I), Rick Miles Jr. (I)

Russellville
Clerk-Treasurer: D. Devon Davis* (I), Martha Mandleco (I)
Town Council At-Large (vote for 3): Debbie Bartelt (I), Jim Russell Davis (I), Cathy Jones* (I), Cary McGaughey (I)

*--Incumbent