Jackson County residents with a desire for public service can begin filing for countywide offices up for election this year starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
All candidates hoping to run for office in the May 7 primary election can pick up an application at the county’s voter registration office at the Jackson County Judicial Center, 109 S. Sugar St., Brownstown.
The list of offices up for election at the county level this year include the commissioner District 1 and District 2 seats and the three at-large council seats.
The Commissioner District 1 seat is held by Brownstown Republican Drew Markel, while Seymour Republican Bob Gillaspy presently holds the Commissioner District 2 seat.
The three at-large county council seats are presently held by Republicans Brett Turner, Amanda Lowery and John Nolting.
Other county offices up for election are Treasurer Kathy Hohenstreiter, Auditor Staci Eglen, Coroner Paul Foster and Surveyor Dan Blann. All four are Republicans.
Hohenstreiter is wrapping up her first four-year term as treasurer, while Eglen was picked during a GOP precinct caucus on Feb. 21, 2023, to replace Roger Hurt, who had recently resigned from the office. The treasurer, auditor and coroner offices are limited to two four-year terms.
Foster is completing his first four-year term as coroner, and Blann is finishing up his second four-year term as surveyor. The surveyor’s office does not have a term limit.
This year’s primary ballot also will feature Republican and Democrat races for president and Indiana governor, as Republican Eric Holcomb is wrapping up his second term. The governor’s office also is limited to two four-year terms.
Also at the state level, the District 44 state senate seat presently held by Bedford Republican Eric Koch is up for election along with the three House districts that serve Jackson County.
Those House seats are District 62, presently held by Republican Dave Hall of Norman; District 65, presently held by Bedford Republican Chris May; and District 69, presently held by Seymour Republican Jim Lucas.
At the federal level, the Indiana Ninth Congressional District seat, presently held by Salem Republican Erin Houchin, is up for election. The district includes Jackson County.
The U.S. Senate presently held by Jasper Republican Mike Braun also is up for election. Braun plans to run for the Indiana governorship.
The filing period ends at noon Feb. 9.
Voter registration began the first of December, and there are now plenty of ways to register, including visiting the office in the judicial center or online at indianavoters.com. Voter registration forms also are available at license branches and libraries. Voter registration for the primary ends April 8.