Election season is off and running, and Johnson County Clerk Trena McLaughlin and Sheriff Duane Burgess became the first candidates to file to be on the ballot in this year’s elections.
The number of races fluctuates from year to year, and this year is no exception. There are more than 45 local, state and federal races on the ballot. The May 3 primary will also feature elections for delegates to the Democratic and Republican state conventions, along with Democrat precinct committeemen.
When the county’s Voter Registration office in the basement of the Johnson County Courthouse opened its doors Wednesday morning, nine people were waiting in line to file their candidacy paperwork. The turnout was about what the county clerk’s office expected. Once it gets past the first hour, the rest of the filings tend to trickle in throughout the day, said Trena McLaughlin, Johnson County clerk.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, 16 candidates had dropped off their forms, and another 25 announced their intent to serve as a state delegate or precinct committeeman, according to the clerk’s office.
McLaughlin and Sheriff Duane Burgess are seeking second terms after both took office in 2018. If Burgess, who has been with the sheriff’s office since the 1980s, is re-elected, it will be his last term before he retires, he said.
“I take my job (as sheriff) very seriously. … I like my job,” Burgess said. “I want to continue to keep it moving forward.”
So far, Burgess is unopposed in the sheriff’s race, but candidates have about four more weeks to file.
Johnson County Prosecutor Joe Villanueva filed his candidacy for what would be his first full-term as prosecutor. He was selected via caucus to replace former prosecutor Brad Cooper, and assumed office in August 2019.
Johnson County Council member Jon Myers filed for re-election in District 3, and auditor Pam Burton filed her candidacy for District 1 — currently held by Pete Ketchum.
Others filed for offices such as assessor, auditor and seats on township boards. Local positions up for election this year also include the recorder and seats on the Bargersville, Edinburgh and New Whiteland town councils. Four county council districts — 1 through 4 — and Johnson County Board of Commissioner District 2 are also on the ballot this year. All seats on each township’s board, and all township trustee seats are up for election with some changes.
Since this will be the first election following the merger of Franklin, Needham and Union townships, those seats have been consolidated. Instead of having three trustee seats open — one from each township — now there is just one: Franklin Township. Also, because there will be just one township board for the three formerly independent townships, there is now just three seats up for election, with each seat representing one person from each township respectively.
Michelle Waugh Dahl became the first Democrat to file for an elected seat when filed paperwork to run for the Franklin-Needham-Union Township Board.
Positions on all six of the county’s school boards are also up for election, though voters will not cast ballots in the non-partisan school board races until the general election in November. There will be 13 seats up for bid this fall.
There are three state positions on the ballot — Secretary of State, State Auditor and State Treasurer. Four state representatives, a state senator who represents portions of Johnson County, a U.S. representative and a U.S. Senator are also on the ballot. Representatives from Sen. Todd Young’s office filed his petition to be put on the county’s ballot Wednesday morning.
Because this is the first election since both state and local officials completed their decennial redistricting processes, voters will be casting ballots for candidates under the new districts, which take effect after the November election. Voters will cast votes for candidates running in Indiana House Districts 47, 57, 58 and 60, and Indiana Senate District 41. They will also cast votes in a new U.S. Congressional district — District 6 — which is currently occupied by Rep. Greg Pence, R-Columbus.
Republican Scott Strother is the first person to file their candidacy for a Indiana House seat. Strother filed for District 47, currently represented by John Young, R-Franklin.
The last day to file for candidacy is Feb. 4, and once the period ends, county officials will have about two months to prepare to vote in the spring primary, during which voters will select candidates from each party to run in the general election. Since a majority of voters in Johnson County tend to cast Republican ballots, many races are often decided during the primary.
Voters who want to cast a ballot in this year’s election must be registered to vote, and have until April 4 to do so.
Johnson County will continue to use vote centers this year, allowing local voters to cast their ballots at any of a handful of locations throughout the county. Early voting will also be an option at some locations in the month leading up to Election Day, and absentee ballots will be available for those who are eligible under state law.
AT A GLANCE
Here’s a look at candidates who filed for office Wednesday:
- Trena McLaughlin, Republican, Johnson County Clerk
- Mike Watkins, Republican, Johnson County Assessor
- Elizabeth Ann Alvey, Republican, Johnson County Auditor
- Pamela J. Burton, Republican, Johnson County Council District 1
- Jon Myers, Republican, Johnson County Council District 3
- Duane E. Burgess, Republican, Johnson County Sheriff
- Joseph M. Villanueva, Republican, Johnson County Prosecutor
- Scott C. Strother, Republican, State Representative for District 47
- Jeannie Barnett, Republican, Franklin-Needham-Union Township Board
- Michelle Waugh Dahl, Democrat, Franklin-Needham-Union Township Board
- Tara Payne, Republican, Franklin-Needham-Union Township Board
- Dick Huber, Republican, White River Township Board
- C. Willam Hart, Republican, Pleasant Township Trustee
- Mark W. Messick, Republican, White River Township Trustee
- Lydia J. Wales, Republican, Franklin-Needham-Union Township Trustee
Interested in running for office? Here’s how to file to become a candidate:
Residents running for county, township, or muncipal or school board offices can file for office at the Johnson County Clerk’s Office located in the Johnson County Courthouse, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin.
Residents filing for state or federal office must do so at the Indiana Secretary of State’s office at 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, or with the Indiana Election Division located in room E-204 at the Indiana Government Center, 302 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, according to the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office.
The last day to file as a candidate for local, state or federal offices is noon on Feb. 4.
Here’s a look at what Johnson County offices are up for election in the 2022 primary:
Federal offices
- U.S. Senator
- U.S. House of Representatives — District 6
State offices
- Secretary of State
- State Auditor
- State Treasurer
- State Senator — District 41
- State Representatives — Districts 47, 57, 58 and 60
- County offices
- Prosecutor
- Sheriff
- Assessor
- Auditor
- Circuit and Superior Court Clerk
- Recorder
- County Commissioner — District 2
- Council Council — Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4
Township offices
- Blue River Township Trustee
- Blue River Township Board — Three seats
- Clark Township Trustee
- Clark Township Board — Three seats
- Franklin-Needham-Union Township Trustee
- Franklin-Needham-Union Township Board — Three seats with one seat from each township
- Hensley Township Trustee
- Hensley Township Board — Three seats
- Nineveh Township Trustee
- Nineveh Township Board — Three seats
- Pleasant Township Trustee
- Pleasant Township Board — Three seats
- White River Township Trustee
- White River Township Board — Three seats
Municipal offices
- Bargersville Town Council At-Large — Two seats
- Edinburgh Town Council At-Large — Two seats
- New Whiteland Town Council Wards 2 and 5 — One seat for each ward
State convention delegates/local precinct committeeman
- Blue River Township Republican State Convention Delegates — District 1 — 10 seats
- Clark/Pleasant Townships Republican State Convention Delegates — District 2 — 11 seats
- White River Township Republican State Convention Delegates — District 3 — 10 seats
- Franklin/Needham Townships Republican State Convention Delegates — District 4 — 10 seats
- Nineveh/Hensley/Union Townships Republican State Convention Delegates — District 5 — 10 seats
- Democrat State Convention Delegate — At-Large — 36 seats
- Precinct Committeeman At-Large — Democrats only — All precincts
