Parties make two late additions to Greencastle Township races

Monday, July 2, 2018

A mostly uneventful filing period for the general election ended Monday with just two vacancies filled by the parties.

While many ballot spots were filled prior to the May primary elections, the Democratic and Republican parties had until noon on Monday to fill any remaining vacancies on their respective tickets.

The Democratic Party appointed Russell Harvey, Greencastle, as a candidate for the Greencastle trustee position. This will pit Harvey against GOP incumbent Steve Butts in the November election.

The Republican Party appointed Ashley Bieniek, Greencastle, as a candidate for Greencastle Township Advisory Board. Bieniek joins fellow Republicans Karen Ambler and Marilyn Clearwaters on the ballot.

Both Ambler and Clearwaters are incumbents, who are also currently joined on the board by Democrat Charles Miles.

After filing to run, Miles withdrew his name from the ballot prior to the primary. This left Veronica Pejril and Russ Evans on the Democratic ticket.

Voters may choose up to three of the five advisory board candidates on the ballot.

The only other candidate to file during the post-primary filing period was independent Gordon T. Brooks, who is seeking the at-large position on the Cloverdale Town Council.

In November, Brooks will face off against Republican Gregory Jay Sr., who upset incumbent Coweta Patton in the GOP primary.

No Democrat filed to run in the at-large council race.

The closure of the filing period also assures continued dominance of the Republican Party at the county level, as there is no Democratic candidate for prosecutor, sheriff, clerk, recorder, surveyor, assessor or District 1, 2 or 4 county council.

Steve Cash, candidate for District 2 commissioner, and Matt Cummings, candidate for District 3 county council, are the only county-level Democrat candidates on the ballot.