Ballot set for county offices: Commissioner, sheriff seats are top races

February 10, 2018

Jackson County residents headed to the polls to vote in the May 8 primary election will find several races on the ballot.

The top countywide race features a four-way battle for the Republican Party’s nomination for sheriff, and there’s just one other countywide battle, the Republican nomination for the District 3 county commissioner’s seat.

The sheriff candidates are Bill Abbott of Seymour, Rick Meyer of Seymour, Phil Nale of Brownstown and Charlie Murphy of Seymour. The winner of that primary will face Democrat Jeff Walters of Seymour in the Nov. 6 election.

The District 3 county commissioner’s seat pits incumbent Matt Reedy of Freetown against newcomer Roger Bane of Medora. Reedy is finishing up his second four-year term. District 3 includes Carr, Owen, Salt Creek and Pershing townships, but all voters in Jackson County will select the nominee.

The ballot was set after the filing period ended at noon Friday.

There also are Republican and Democratic primary races for the District 2 county council seat, which is presently held by Republican Leon Pottschmidt.

The district includes all of Driftwood, Grassy Fork, Vernon and Washington townships and Jackson 3 South and Jackson 4 South precincts.

The Democratic primary in that race features Lenvel “Butch” Robinson of Crothersville and Barry Stuckwisch of Seymour, while Mark Hackman and Mark Pardieck, both of Seymour, will vie for the Republican party’s nomination.

There are two other local races that will appear on the Republican ballot. The first features incumbent Jackson Township Trustee Bill Marsh against Linda Auleman of Seymour, who is wrapping up her second term as county recorder. The recorder is limited by the state constitution to two terms. Marsh is finishing up his sixth four-year term.

The other race is for Owen Township trustee, and voters will chose between Frank Fisher of Norman and Karen Branaman Wagoner of Medora.

Democrats also will pick the party’s nominee for the Ninth District U.S. seat between Dan Canon of New Albany and Rob Chatlos and Liz Watson, both of Bloomington.

The winner of that race will face incumbent Republican Trey Hollingsworth of Jeffersonville, who is finishing his first two-year term. Hollingsworth is being challenged by James Dean Alspach.

Republican voters in Jackson County also will see races for two of the county’s state House races.

A three-way race for House District 69 will see incumbent Jim Lucas of Seymour — first elected in 2012 — squaring off against Seymour Republican Nancy Franke and Columbus Republican Charles Johnson.

Franke is a familiar opponent for Lucas, as she challenged him in the 2016 primary. Her efforts came up short with Lucas winning 60.5 percent of the vote.

The winner of that race will face Elizabethtown Democrat Steve Schoettmer this fall.

House District 73 also will see a primary challenge, as incumbent Steve Davisson of Salem, who was elected in 2010, will face off against Buford L. Dewitt of Paoli.

Jackson County Republicans also will have plenty of options for the U.S. Senate race that’s up for grabs. The ballot features six candidates: Sixth District Congressman Luke Messer and Fourth District Congressman Todd Rokita are joined by Mark Hurt, Mike Braun, Andrew Horning and Andrew Takami for the race.

The winner will face incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is seeking a second term after being elected in 2012.

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U.S. Senate

Joe Donnelly (D)
Mike Braun (R)
Andrew Horning (R)
Mark Hurt (R)
Luke Messer (R)
Todd Rokita (R)
Andrew Takami (R)

U.S. Representative — Ninth District

James Dean Alspach (R)
Dan Canon (D)
Rob Chatlos (D)
Liz Watson (D)
Trey Hollingsworth (R)

State Senate, District 43

Clyde A. “Chip” Perfect Jr. (R)

State Senate, District 45

John Perkins (D)
Chris Garten (R)

State representative, District 65

Chris D. May (R)
Jared Stancombe (D)

State representative, District 69

Steve Schoettmer (D)
Nancy L. Franke (R)
Charles Johnson (R)
Jim Lucas (R)

State Representative, District 73

Steve Davisson (R)
Buford L. Dewitt (R)

Jackson County clerk

Melissa Elkins Hayes (R)

Jackson County assessor

Katie Kaufman (R)

Jackson County commissioners, District 3

Roger L. Bane (R)
Matt Reedy (R)

Jackson County Council, District 1

Catherine “Cathy” Stuckwisch (D)
Michael Davidson (R)

Jackson County Council, District 2

Barry Stuckwisch (D)
Lenvel “Butch” Robinson (D)
Mark Hackman (R)
Mark Pardieck (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)

Jackson County sheriff

Jeffrey Walters (D)
William V. “Bill” Abbott (R)
Rick Meyer (R)
Charlie Murphy (R)
Phil Nale (R)

Jackson Circuit Court judge

Richard W. Poynter (R)

Brownstown 1 Democratic precinct committeeman

Robert Millman

Brownstown East Democratic precinct committeeman

Charlotte Sellers

Carr Democratic precinct committeeman

Mary Ann Ault

Grassy Fork Democratic precinct committeeman

Jeanette Hackman

Jackson 2 East Democratic precinct committeeman

Jan Sullivan

Jackson 3 South Democratic precinct committeeman

Ollie Knott

Jackson 4 North Democratic precinct committeeman

Gary L. Colglazier

Jackson 4 South Democratic precinct committeeman

Tammy Riordan

Jackson 5 east Democratic precinct committeeman

Dan Colglazier

Jackson 5 North Democratic precinct committeeman

John Steele Burkhart

Jackson 6 Democratic precinct committeeman

Ken Tormoehlen

Jackson 7 Democratic precinct committeeman

Rita Hinners

Pershing Democratic precinct committeeman

Jimmie-Lou Ault

Redding East Democratic precinct committeeman

Patricia L. Hercamp

Redding West Democratic precinct committeeman

Lesley A. Reuter

Vernon Crothersville Democratic precinct committeeman

NaLona Deputy Bush

Vernon South Democratic precinct committeeman

Eunice M. Lacey

Republican convention delegate

Natasha A. Langford

Jackson County prosecutor

AmyMarie Travis (R)

Township boards

Brownstown

Conner J. Barnette (R)
Angela Blann (R)
Jack R. Gillespie (R)

Carr

Mary Ann Ault (D)
Joe K. Campbell (D)
Sharon Ingle (R)

Driftwood

John Hartley (R)

Grassy Fork

Stan D. Darlage (D)
Janette Elliott (R)
Craig L. Klinge (D)

Hamilton

George Mellencamp (D)
Donald Schnitker (R)
Howard Wente (R)

Jackson

Alicia Colglazier (D)
Larry K. Sunbury (R)

Owen

Jack E. Gilbert (R)
Justyn Underwood (R)

Pershing

Thomas Ault (D)
Todd Brumfield (R)
Doyle Lyon (R)
Joe McDermid (R)

Redding

Patricia L. Hercamp (D)
David “Dave” Merry (D)
Max Noblitt (D)
Sara Cunningham (R)
Giles W. Spaulding (R)

Salt Creek

Judy Goforth (D)
Larry Smallwood (D)
Clifford P. Kirts (R)
Toby Laney (R)

Vernon

Odes Densford (D)
Tyler Goodpaster (R)
Allene Hougland (D)
Roger Teipen (R)

Washington

Richard Darlage (D)
Alan J. Pollert (D)
Richard Stuckwisch (D)

Township trustees