County races few and far between

Thursday, October 29, 2020

By JARED JERNAGAN, Editor

While a hotly-contested presidential race is drawing voters to the polls in record numbers both locally and nationally, Putnam County residents are finding few local choices on their ballots.

With only two Democrats on the county-wide ballot and only two contested school board races, most local races are already decided.

On the county level, Republican Jon Myers and Democrat Perry Wainman are both running for coroner to replace the retiring Dave Brown.

Meanwhile, there are four candidates for three at-large seats on the Putnam County Council — Republicans Stephanie (Summitt) Campbell, Phil Gick and Larry Parker, along with Democrat Benny Whitlock.

Gick and Parker are both incumbents, while Campbell formerly served as county auditor.

While Cloverdale, North Putnam and South Putnam all have school board positions on the ballot, only North Putnam has any contested races, as Rachel Mandeville looks to unseat Dustin Osborn from his Monroe Township position, while Eric Oliver and one-time board member Jacquelyn Simpson both seek the Russell Township seat currently occupied by Darrell Wiatt.

Still, this lack of local competition has not stopped Putnam County voters from turning out in droves already.

As of Thursday afternoon, 8,763 citizens had already cast ballots in the county, more than 35 percent of the county’s 24,835 eligible voters.

That number more than doubles the previous county record of 4,245 early votes cast in 2016.

Among early voters, 7,018 had voted in person at the courthouse, while the other, 1,745 had returned mail-in ballots, according to Voter Registration Clerk Stacia Hathaway.

While early turnout has been steady at the Putnam County Courthouse since early voting opened, Hathaway said it had ramped up as of Thursday.

“We have had a full line almost all day today (Thursday),” Hathaway said.

Early in-person voting is still available for three days on the second floor of the Putnam County Courthouse — from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-noon Monday.

Traditional Election Day voting will still be available from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at one of eight vote centers in the county:

• Putnam County Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square, Greencastle.

• Reelsville Fire Department, 7748 S. CR 625 West, Reelsville.

• Floyd Township Fire Department, 6901 E. CR 380 North, Fillmore.

• Greencastle American Legion, 1401 Indianapolis Rd., Greencastle.

• Cloverdale American Legion, 501 S. Main St., Cloverdale.

• Bainbridge Community Building, 201 N. Grant Ave., Bainbridge.

• Putnam County Fairgrounds Community Building, 191 N. U.S. 231, Greencastle.

• Wellspring Christian Church, 3256 S. CR 725 East, Coatesville.

Under the vote center model, polling place is no longer determined by precinct. A registered Putnam County voter who hasn’t already cast a ballot may do so at any one of these locations, regardless of place of residence.

Whether voting early or on Election Day, voters are reminded to bring government-issued identification and that election-related materials (including masks, buttons, hats, shirts or signs) are not permitted inside polling places.

The complete 2020 ballot (excluding public questions) for Putnam County is listed below. Some races, such as state senator and school board, vary based on location in the county.

UNITED STATES
President/Vice President
Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R)
Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (D)
Jo Jorgensen/Jeremy “Spike” Cohen (L)
U.S. Representative
Jim Baird (R)
Joe Mackey (D)
INDIANA
Governor/Lieutenant Governor
Eric Holcomb/Suzanne Crouch (R)
Woodrow “Woody” Myers/Linda C. Lawson (D)
Donald G. Rainwater II/William E. Henry (L)
Attorney General
Todd Rokita (R)
Jonathan Weinzapfel (D)
State Senator District 24
John Crane (R)
Stan Albaugh (D)
State Senator District 37
Rodric Bray (R)
Tom Wallace (D)
State Representative District 44
Beau Baird (R)
PUTNAM COUNTY
Judge of Putnam Superior Court
Denny Bridges (R)
Auditor
Kristina (Warren) Alexander (R)
Treasurer
Kathy Minnick (R)
Putnam County Coroner
Jon Myers (R)
Perry A. Wainman (D)
Commissioner, District 1
David E. Berry (R)
Commissioner, District 3
Tom Helmer (R)
County Council, At-Large
Stephanie (Summitt) Campbell (R)
Phil Gick (R)
Larry L. Parker (R)
Benny Whitlock (D)
CLOVERDALE SCHOOL BOARD
Cloverdale Township (Vote for 3)
Donna Fidler
Katrina Lewis
Joseph Mann
Jackson Township (Owen County)
JaceAnn Troutt
NORTH PUTNAM SCHOOL BOARD
At-Large
No candidate filed
Franklin Township
Amber Greene
Monroe Township
Rachel Mandeville
Dustin R. Osborn
Russell Township
Eric Oliver
Jacquelyn Simpson
SOUTH PUTNAM SCHOOL BOARD
At-Large
No candidate filed
Marion Township
Hollie Hutcheson
Washington Township
Lisa A. Cooper

Comments

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Already voted ! But not for any unopposed candidates !!

-- Posted by Falcon9 on Fri, Oct 30, 2020, at 3:44 PM
So, even if you think that person is a great candidate, the running unopposed is a bigger issue? Why is it that persons fault? Isn't it the party not represented finding a candidate at fault?

I understand your concern but not voting for someone for that reason doesn't make sense to me. I am not cutting you down just can't follow the logic. Please share how you feel this corrects the problem?

Thanks in advance

-- Posted by beg on Fri, Oct 30, 2020, at 4:11 PM
Beg -

If you will allow me...

Often times a no-vote for an unopposed candidate is not a matter of simply being unopposed so much as it is a declaration of lack of support for that unopposed candidate.

If Rainbow6 supported a candidate, I doubt that he would no-vote that candidate simply b/c the candidate was unopposed.

The idea of a no-vote is, to me, a protest against the two-party system and the capitulation of one party to the other party while maintaining their combined stranglehold on ballot access.

As a numbers game (which is often ignored by media), a no-vote allows a voter a voice in effort to deny an unopposed candidate a mandate.

If you are unopposed and you get 43% of the vote, you have won the election but 57% of the people did not want you in that office.

-- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Mon, Nov 2, 2020, at 1:32 PM
I don't disagree with your statement. Rainbow 6 stated it in a way that I assumed it was meant as a protest against unopposed candidates which isn't the running candidates fault.

I shouldn't assume as we know what that means. My bad!

-- Posted by beg on Mon, Nov 2, 2020, at 4:26 PM

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