Final day quiet as primary filing period closes

Last week’s winter storm may have delayed the filing deadline for the May primary in Putnam County, but come Monday there was little accumulation in the Putnam County Voter Registration office.

With the filing deadline formally coming to a close at noon on Monday, there were no new contested races to be found among county offices, and no Democrat candidates at all for those offices.

Parties with unfilled spots on the November general election ballot have until July 5 to fill any vacancies.

In the meantime, though, the eyes of Putnam County voters will be on six different races for the Republican nomination to be on the November ballot.

A pair of these are three-way races for sheriff and county clerk.

In the sheriff’s race, the three men who have been actively campaigning since last summer remain the three candidates: veteran Indiana Excise Police Officer Jerrod Baugh, Cloverdale Town Marshal Steve Hibler and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Dwight Simmons.

For the clerk, three Republicans are running to replace Heather Gilbert at year’s end, as Gilbert is term limited. The candidates are county Recorder Tracy Bridges, Gilbert’s Chief Deputy Debbie Ensor and one-time clerk and Superior Court deputy Carrie Thompson, who currently serves as the human resources manager at Crown Equipment.

Bridges is also term limited in her current role, so both Gilbert and former Auditor Lorie Hallett-Talbert are seeking the nomination for recorder.

Longtime county Surveyor David Penturf is facing a challenge from within the party, as Greg Williams, president of ASA Land Surveying in Greencastle, is also seeking the GOP nod.

Penturf isn’t the only incumbent with company on the ballot, as David Fuhrman faces a challenge from Wayne Huffman in County Council District 1 and one-time Councilman Darrel Thomas is challenging incumbent Councilman Danny Wallace in District 3.

Among township trustees, there is just one contested race, as one-time Roachdale Town Councilman Zach Bowers is challenging current Trustee Clyde Coulter.

The Cloverdale Town Council will also feature one contested GOP race, with incumbent Cindy Holland challenged by Brandon Tancak for her Ward 3 position.

On the Democratic side, there are currently just three candidates for township positions in Kirsten Vaughn for Jefferson Township trustee, Marianne Novak for Floyd Township Advisory Board and Russell Evans for Greencastle Township Advisory Board.

The complete list of candidates for the May 3 primary in Putnam County, including for federal and state office, is listed below.

Republican races include:

• U.S. Senator: Danny Niederberger, Todd Young;

• U.S. Representative: Jim Baird, T. Charles Bookwalter;

• State Representative: Beau Baird;

• 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 W. 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 Flynn Coulter Jr.;

• 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: Jess L. Norton, Stephen H. 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;
* The top three votegetters are elected to township advisory boards.

• Cloverdale Town Council At-large: Greg Jay;

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

• Russellville Town Council At-Large: Tony Riggen;

• Republican State Convention Delegate: Beau Baird, Jim Baird, Scott F. Bieniek, Jack D. Billman, Joan P. Billman, Cody Eckert, Laura Hatton, Jennifer Sue Jackson, Beva Miller; Winona Nassey.

The Democrat includes:

• U.S. Senator: Haneefa Khaaliq, Valerie McCray, Thomas M. McDermott Jr.;

• U.S. Representative: Roger D. Day, Howard J. Pollchik;

• Jefferson Township Trustee: Kirsten Vaughn;

• Floyd Township Advisory Board: Marianne Novak;

• Greencastle Township Advisory Board: Russell Evans;

• Democrat State Convention Delegate: Kristien Hamilton, Marianne Novak;

• Democrat Precinct Committeeman, Third West: Veronica J. Pejril.