With courthouse closed, candidate deadline extended

Before a winter storm closed county offices for two days this week, the Putnam County Voter Registration office was a flurry of activity as the primary filing deadline approached.

Originally set for noon on Friday, Feb. 4, the deadline has now been moved back to noon on Monday, Feb. 7, or the next day the courthouse is open.

The extended deadline was authorized by the Indiana Election Commission, which sent instructions on the matter to county election officials on Wednesday.

Two new candidates for county clerk took what was an unopposed race two days earlier and made it a three-way race for the Republican nomination.

Debbie Ensor, a veteran deputy in the Putnam County Clerk’s Office, as well as Crown Equipment Human Resources Manager Carrie Thompson (who also has experience in the clerk’s office and Superior Court) are now seeking the Republican nomination to replace current Clerk Heather Gilbert, who is term limited. Ensor and Thompson join current Putnam County Recorder Tracy Bridges in the race for clerk.

These additions to the race bring the total number of contested GOP races for county office to six.

Other contested Republican races include Gilbert and former Auditor Lorie Hallett-Talbert both seeking the recorder’s office; Jerrod Baugh, Steve Hibler and Dwight Simmons in a three-way race for the sheriff nomination; incumbent David Penturf and Greg Williams for surveyor; incumbent Dave Fuhrman and Wayne Huffman for County Council District 1; and former Councilman Darrel Thomas against incumbent Danny Wallace for County Council District 3.

Two additional Republican incumbents filed this to seek another term: District 2 Commissioner Rick Woodall and District 2 Councilman Jay Alcorn. Both men are currently unopposed.

Other races that are currently uncontested include Matt Headley for Circuit Court judge, Tim Bookwalter for prosecutor, Don Badolato for assessor and Keith Berry for County Council District 4.

Meanwhile, no Democrats had filed for county office as of Wednesday afternoon.

When there are no primary candidates, a party has until noon on July 5 to fill the vacancy on the November ballot.

A number of new candidates have also added their names to the ballot for township trustee and township advisory board positions. See the list below for more details.

Local Republican races include:

• Circuit Court Judge: Matthew Headley;

• Prosecutor: Tim Bookwalter;

• Clerk: Tracy L. Bridges, Debbie Ensor, Carrie L. Thompson;

• Recorder: Heather L. Gilbert, Lorie L. Hallett-Talbert;

• Sheriff: Jerrod E. Baugh, Steven L. Hibler, Dwight Simmons;

• Surveyor: David E. Penturf, Greg Williams;

• Assessor: Don Badolato;

• County Commissioner District 2: Rick Woodall;

• County Council District 1: David Fuhrman, Wayne Huffman;

• County Council District 2: Jay Alcorn;

• County Council District 3: Darrel Thomas, Danny Wallace;

• County Council District 4: H. Keith Berry;

• Clinton Township Trustee: Tina Sillery;

• Cloverdale Township Trustee: Pat McFadden;

• Floyd Township Trustee: Marsha S. Carrington;

• Franklin Township Trustee: Zach Bowers, Clyde Coulter;

• Greencastle Township Trustee: Steve Butts;

• Jefferson Township Trustee: Tom Burnett;

• Madison Township Trustee: Jeffrey W. Alexander;

• Marion Township Trustee: Gregory L. Arnold;

• Warren Township Trustee: Karen Nelson Heavin;

• Washington Township Trustee: John McPherson;

• Clinton Township Advisory Board: Gerald E. Ensor;

• Cloverdale Township Advisory Board: Elaine Pearson, Ron Smith, Steve Walters;

• Floyd Township Advisory Board: Steve Greeson, Patricia A. Lehr, Judy Rozelle;

• Franklin Township Advisory Board: Jeff L. Norton, Stephen Norton;

• Greencastle Township Advisory Board: Karen Ambler, Marilyn R. Clearwaters;

• Jefferson Township Advisory Board: Jonathan P. Addler;

• Madison Township Advisory Board: Jerry Ray Alexander, Kathleen VanArsdale;

• Marion Township Advisory Board: Michael L. Goodpaster, Sherman R. Sparks, Jim Williamson;

• Warren Township Advisory Board: Lawrence W. Muncie;

• Washington Township Advisory Board: Stephen P. Blaydes Sr., Laura Fisher, Jason Keeney;

• Cloverdale Town Council At-large: Greg Jay;

• Cloverdale Town Council Ward 3: Cindy J. Holland, Brandon Tancak;

• Russellville Town Council At-Large: Tony Riggen.

Local Democrat candidates:

• Jefferson Township Trustee: Kirsten Vaughn;

• Floyd Township Advisory Board: Marianne Novak.

In state races of local interest, there is interest on both sides of the aisle in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House positions.

While Sen. Todd Young (R-Greenwood) is currently unopposed within his own party for a second term, two Democrats are seeking to replace him, Valeria McCray of Indianapolis and Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr.

Meanwhile, Fourth District Congressman Jim Baird (R-Greencastle) has company in his own party in Charles Bookwalter of Thorntown, as well as from Democrats Roger Day of Avon and Howard Pollchik of Crawfordsville.

State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle), meanwhile, remained the only candidate for the District 44 nomination for either party.

The final candidate list for local voters will be reported once the filing deadline has passed.