Who will emerge in the five-way race for the Republican nomination for Seymour mayor soon will be determined.
Republicans will choose between Bridey Jacobi, 43, Tom Joray, 59, Matt Nicholson, 41, Nathan Otte, 35, and Matt Rowe, 44, to take on the Democratic nominee in the general election.
Jacobi is a chemist; Joray works in transportation, buildings and grounds department for Seymour Community School Corp; Nicholson owns B2 Bikes and Boards; Otte is an optometrist; and Rowe operates his insurance business.
Otte and Rowe are political newcomers, while Jacobi, Joray and Nicholson have each served in local government.
The mayor’s office will experience its first transition of power in 12 years, as Mayor Craig Luedeman announced in November he would not seek a fourth term. That has opened the race up with eight candidates between Democrats and Republicans ahead of the May 7 primary election.
Early voting began April 9 at the Jackson County Public Library, 303 W. Second St., Seymour, and will continue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday.
As of Friday morning, 185 people out of 10,338 registered voters had cast ballots at the site. The total included 127 Republicans and 58 Democrats.
A second polling site opened a week ago and operates from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Jackson County Judicial Center, 109 S. Sugar St., Brownstown.
The Seymour site also will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, while the Brownstown polling site will be open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday. Both sites also will be open from 8 a.m. until noon Monday.
The ballot does not include independent or Libertarian candidates, who may appear on the general election ballot.
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Registered voters by precinct
Jackson 1 East;1,273
Jackson 2 East;1,027
Jackson 2 West;611
Jackson 3 North;801
Jackson 3 South;1,012
Jackson 4 North;1,416
Jackson 4 South;903
Jackson 5 East;1,175
Jackson 5 North;1,243
Redding-Seymour City;877
Total;10,338
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