The results of the primary election have set up a number of showdowns for federal, state and local races for various offices ahead of the Nov. 6 general election.
Jackson County voters will elect a new sheriff to succeed Mike Carothers, who is barred from seeking re-election by term limits.
In the May 8 primary, Rick Meyer won the Republican nomination with more than 50 percent of the vote, defeating Seymour Police Chief Bill Abbott, Jackson County Jail Commander Charlie Murphy and retired Conservation Officer Phil Nale.
Meyer will face Democrat Jeff Walters, who ran unopposed in the primary race for the Democratic nomination.
Both Meyer and Walters are officers with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Voters also will select a new county recorder between current Jackson County Clerk and Republican Amanda Lowery and Democrat Cliff Sommers, who works in the recorder’s office.
Current recorder Linda Auleman is barred by term limits and cannot seek re-election.
Voters also will have choices for all of the district county council seats.
Republican incumbent Michael Davidson will face Democratic challenger Catherine “Cathy” Stuckwisch for the District 1 county council seat. Both were unopposed in the primary.
Democrat Barry Stuckwisch will face Republican Mark Hackman for the District 2 seat. Stuckwisch captured 55 percent of the vote against primary challenger Lenvel “Butch” Robinson in the Democratic primary, while Hackman defeated Mark Pardieck in the Republican primary.
Republican incumbent Brian Thompson will face Democratic challenger Mary Voss Burgmeier for the District 3 seat. Neither faced opposition in their primary races.
District 4 will see a race between Democrat Mandy Ward and Republican Kari Luedeman Storey.
There will be a race for the Jackson Township trustee position. Republicans nominated Linda Auleman, and she will face Democrat John Burkhart. Auleman defeated longtime trustee Bill Marsh, who was seeking his sixth term.
Democrat Pat Bahan will face Steve Ingle for Carr Township trustee.
Voters in Pershing Township will choose between Democrat Theresa Edington and Republican Sharon Yost for trustee.
There are also a number of races for various township boards throughout the county.
The Jackson County Democratic Party failed to field candidates for several county offices, including circuit court judge, assessor, clerk, prosecutor and District 3 commissioner.
That means Jackson Circuit Court Judge Richard W. Poynter, Jackson County Prosecutor AmyMarie Travis, clerk candidate Melissa Hayes, Assessor Katie Kaufman and District 3 Commissioner Matt Reedy could be unopposed.
Democrats have until noon June 30 to host a caucus and field candidates for the general election.
“Democrats and Republicans would have to call a caucus by June 20 and host it by June 30 and have the information to the clerk’s office by July 3 in order for candidates to be on the ballot,” Lowery said.
She said the primary election turnout was higher than she expected it to be, and she expects about the same amount of voters to go to the polls for the general election.
“We had a pretty smooth day,” she said, adding one voting machine’s screen stopped working at Calvary Baptist Church, but the polling site had another machine for voters to use. “I think it was an issue where we can troubleshoot it and have it ready for the general election.”
The technicians will service the machines ahead of the general election, Lowery said.
“We have received all the responses from the candidates,” she said.
The election board meets at 1:30 p.m. Thursday to certify the election results.
The board also expects to meet next week to discuss the responses and begin its investigation into election complaints filed by Mike Cox of Medora and former resident Mike Moore, who now lives in Idaho.
The two suggest Meyer, Murphy and Walters violated the law by appearing in campaign advertisements, photographs and social media posts while in uniform.
The statue includes what’s referred to as a safe harbor for candidates who appear in campaign material in uniform, said Dale Simmons, who serves as the Republican general co-counsel at the Indiana Election Commission.
The Indiana Election Commission oversees the state’s elections and election law compliance.
Simmons said candidates only break the law if they campaign while on duty.
Simmons said anyone with concerns should report them to law enforcement rather than the election board.
Meyer, Murphy and Walters all said they read laws before filing for office and said they did not break any laws.
If any violations are found, the board will turn them over to law enforcement.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How You Voted” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Full results from the 2018 primary election
(Jackson County totals; x indicates winners)
Jackson County sheriff
x Jeffrey Walters (D) 1,203
William V. “Bill” Abbott (R) 802
x Rick Meyer (R) 3,311
Charlie Murphy (R) 1,593
Phil Nale (R) 876
U.S. Senate
x Joe Donnelly (D) 1,195
x Mike Braun (R) 2,195
Luke Messer (R) 2,317
Todd Rokita (R) 1,408
U.S. representative, Ninth District
James Dean Alspach (R) 1,242
x Trey Hollingsworth (R) 4,829
Dan Canon (D) 297
Rob Chatlos (D) 73
x Liz Watson (D) 955
State Senate, District 43
x Clyde A. “Chip” Perfect Jr. (R) 233
State Senate, District 45
x John Perkins (D) 143
x Chris Garten (R) 663
State representative, District 65
x Chris D. May (R) 220
x Jared Stancombe (D) 59
State representative, District 69
x Steve Schoettmer (D) 939
Nancy L. Franke (R) 2,022
Charles Johnson (R) 162
x Jim Lucas (R) 2,980
State representative, District 73
x Steve Davisson (R) 745
Buford L. DeWitt (R) 199
Jackson County clerk
x Melissa Elkins Hayes (R) 5,401
Jackson County assessor
x Katie Kaufman (R) 5,345
Jackson County commissioner, District 3
Roger L. Bane (R) 2,371
x Matt Reedy (R) 3,819
Jackson County Council, District 1
x Catherine “Cathy” Stuckwisch (D) 345
x Michael Davidson (R) 1,446
Jackson County Council, District 2
x Barry Stuckwisch (D) 210
Lenvel “Butch” Robinson (D) 167
x Mark Hackman (R) 1,285
Mark Pardieck (R) 446
Jackson County Council, District 3
x Mary Voss Burgmeier (D) 276
x Brian H. Thompson (R) 1,207
Jackson County Council, District 4
x Mandy Ward (D) 244
x Kari Luedeman Storey (R) 1,267
Jackson County prosecutor
x AmyMarie Travis (R) 5,384
Jackson County recorder
x Clifford L. Sommers (D) 1,235
x Amanda Cunningham Lowery (R) 5,486
Jackson Circuit Court judge
x Richard W. Poynter (R) 5,646
Township trustees
Brownstown
x Jennifer Saucerman Isaacs (R) 864
Carr
x George Patrick “Pat” Bahan (D) 49
x Steve Ingle (R) 180
Driftwood
x Charles E. “Chuck” Lowery (R) 177
Grassy Fork
x Parke D. Hackman (D) 26
Hamilton
x Staci Lambring Eglen (R) 319
Jackson
x Linda Auleman (R) 1,305
William “Bill” Marsh (R) 1,109
x John Steele Burkhart (D) 485
Owen
x Frank Fisher (R) 131
Karen Branaman Wagoner (R) 110
Pershing
x Sharon K. Yost (R) 160
x Theresa Edington (D) 50
Redding
x Conrad E. Calmer (D) 139
Salt Creek
x Floyd E. Fisher (R) 52
Vernon
x E. Scott Kovener (D) 107
Washington
x Sharon Reedy (D) 34
Township board members
Brownstown
x Conner J. Barnette (R) 581
x Angela Blann (R) 602
x Jack R. Gillespie (R) 675
Carr
x Mary Ann Ault (D) 50
x Joe K. Campbell (D) 40
x Sharon Ingle (R) 181
Driftwood
x Blaine A. Bonebright (R) 135
x John Hartley (R) 174
Grassy Fork
x Stan D. Darlage (D) 19
x Craig L. Klinge (D) 24
x Janette Kay Elliott (R) 148
Hamilton
x George Mellencamp (D) 60
x Donald Schnitker (R) 270
x Howard Wente (R) 251
Jackson
x Alicia Colglazier (D) 490
x Larry K. Sunbury (R) 2,310
Owen
x Jack E. Gilbert (R) 195
x Justyn Underwood (R) 143
Pershing
x Thomas Ault (D) 53
x Todd Brumfeld (R) 108
x Doyle Lyon (R) 149
x Joe McDermid (R) 132
Redding
x Patricia L. Hercamp (D) 100
x David “Dave” Merry (D) 108
x Max W. Noblitt (D) 96
x Sara Cunningham (R) 499
x Giles W. Spaulding (R) 421
Salt Creek
x Judy Goforth (D) 10
x Larry Smallwood (D) 13
x Clifford Kirts (R) 34
x Toby Laney (R) 42
Vernon
x Odes Densford (D) 93
x Allene Hougland (D) 91
x Tyler Goodpaster (R) 198
x Roger Teipen (R) 246
Washington
x Richard Darlage (D) 33
x Alan J. Pollert (D) 29
x Richard M. Stuckwisch (D) 32
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Contested races for the 2018 general election
U.S. Senate
Joe Donnelly (D)
Mike Braun (R)
U.S. representative, Ninth District
Liz Watson (D)
Trey Hollingsworth (R)
State Senate, District 45
John Perkins (D)
Chris Garten (R)
State representative, District 65
Jared Stancombe (D)
Chris D. May (R)
State representative, District 69
Steve Schoettmer (D)
Jim Lucas (R)
Steven Buffington (L)
Jackson County Council, District 1
Catherine “Cathy” Stuckwisch (D)
Michael Davidson (R)
Jackson County Council, District 2
Barry Stuckwisch (D)
Mark Hackman (R)
Jackson County Council, District 3
Mary Voss Burgmeier (D)
Brian H. Thompson (R)
Jackson County Council, District 4
Mandy Ward (D)
Kari Luedeman Storey (R)
Jackson County recorder
Clifford L. Sommers (D)
Amanda Cunningham Lowery (R)
Carr Township trustee
George Patrick “Pat” Bahan (D)
Steve Ingle (R)
Jackson Township trustee
John Steele Burkhart (D)
Linda Auleman (R)
Pershing Township trustee
Theresa Edington (D)
Sharon K. Yost (R)
Pershing Township Board (choose three)
Thomas Ault (D)
Todd Brumfield (R)
Doyle Lyon (R)
Joe McDermind (R)
Redding Township Board (choose three)
Patricia L. Hercamp (D)
David “Dave” Merry (D)
Max W. Noblitt (D)
Sara Cunningham (R)
Giles W. Spaulding (R)
Salt Creek Township Board (choose three)
Judy Goforth (D)
Larry Smallwood (D)
Clifford Kirts (R)
Toby Laney (R)
Vernon Township Board (choose three)
Odes Densford (D)
Allene Hougland (D)
Tyler Goodpaster (R)
Roger Teipen (R)
[sc:pullout-text-end]
