When you head to the polls to vote this spring, you will have multiple contested races on your ballot, including county sheriff, judge, commissioner and council.
Some residents will also have a contested race for a state representative, who represents parts of Johnson County, and all voters will be able to cast a ballot in contested races for U.S. Senate and Representative.
More than 100 local residents filed to run as candidates for positions ranging from town council seats to state representatives.
Johnson County Deputy Clerk Reagan Higdon said she was pleased with the amount of candidates that had filed, saying the number had exceeded their expectations. Her office has noticed more interest from residents in elections since the 2016 general election, with more calls from people interested in how to register to vote, for example, she said.
This year, voters will cast ballots in U.S., state, county, town and township offices. And in the fall, school board members will be on the ballots.
Multiple races are contested, with the key races being for the party’s nomination in the primary election.
For example, Kirby Cochran, a sheriff’s office investigator, Stoney Vann, an Indiana State Police officer, and Duane Burgess, the county jail commander, have all filed as Republican candidates for county sheriff. Sheriff Doug Cox is not eligible to run again because of term limits. A Democrat, Jason Boudi, has also filed, but won’t face off with a candidate until the general election this fall.
Other contested races include for the offices of county auditor, county commissioner, county council, Circuit Court judge — replacing longtime judge Mark Loyd who is retiring — and races for town council and township advisory boards. For example, five candidates are running for two at-large seats on the Bargersville Town Council.
Once those races are decided, voters will then be casting ballots in the fall in other state representative and state senate races, and other local races as well where Democrats have filed.
Before voting begins in the coming months, voters still have time to update their registration or register for the first time. The deadline to register is April 9. Early voting at the courthouse begins April 10.
The deadline for candidates to withdraw from the ballot is noon Monday. One candidate, Amanda L. Martin, who had filed to run for Union Township Trustee as a Republican, has withdrawn so far.
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With deadline to file passed, a look at the candidates has been released
U.S. Senator
Mike Braun, Republican
Joe Donnelly, Democrat
Luke Messer, Republican
Todd Rokita, Republican
U.S. Representative, District 9
James Dean Alspach, Republican
Dan Canon, Democrat
Rob Chatlos, Democrat
Trey Hollingsworth, Republican
Liz Watson, Democrat
State Senator, District 41
Ross Thomas, Democrat
Greg Walker, Republican
State Representative, District 47
Susan Clare Diagana, Democrat
Scott Horvath, Republican
John T. Young, Republican
State Representative, District 58
Woody Burton, Republican
(Cindy) Cynthia Reinert, Democrat
State Representative, District 65
Chris D. May, Republican
Jared Stancombe, Democrat
State Representative, District 93
David N. Frizzell, Republican
Greg Rathnow, Democrat
Superior Court No. 1 Judge
Kevin M. Barton, Republican
Circuit Court Judge
Ryan Dillon, Republican
Steven L. Kennedy, Democrat
Andrew Roesener, Republican
Prosecutor
Bradley S. Cooper, Republican
Clerk
Trena McLaughlin, Republican
Kathy Stolz, Democrat
Auditor
Pamela Burton, Republican
Ryan Rather, Republican
Sheriff
Jason Boudi, Democrat
Duane Burgess, Republican
Kirby Cochran, Republican
Stoney Vann, Republican
Assessor
Mark Alexander, Republican
Recorder
Teresa Petro, Republican
Kyle Swain, Democrat
County Commissioner, District 2
Matthew Adams, Republican
Kevin Walls, Republican
County Council, District 1
Justin Griggs, Republican
Peter Ketchum, Republican
County Council, District 2
Steve Byerly, Republican
Rob Henderson, Republican
County Council, District 3
Thomas Jackson, Democrat
Jon Myers, Republican
County Council, District 4
James Ison, Republican
Bargersville Town Council At-large, 2 seats
Paulette Rae Brown, Republican
R. Dustin Doyle, Republican
Larry W. Gates, Republican
Roger Dale Hitz, Republican
Rob Lowden, Republican
Edinburgh Town Council At-large, 2 seats
Ron Hoffman, Democrat
William (Bill) Jones, Republican
Marshall Ryan Piercefield, Republican
New Whiteland Town Council, Ward 2
M. Scott Alspach, Republican
New Whiteland Town Council, Ward 5
John T. Schilawski, Republican
Blue River Township Trustee
Ray B. Walton, Republican
Blue River Township Advisory Board, 3 members
Andy Barker, Republican
John A. Johnson, Republican
Larry V. Whitlock, Republican
Clark Township Trustee
Neil Trisler, Republican
Clark Township Advisory Board, 3 members
Charles S. Harlow, Republican
Hugh Kirkham, Republican
Diane E. Lindley, Democrat
Kelli Seybold, Republican
Ben Wyatt, Democrat
Franklin Township Trustee
Lydia S. Wales, Republican
Franklin Township Advisory Board, 3 members
Jeanie Barnett, Republican
Brandi Henderson, Republican
Samantha C. McMinn, Democrat
Anita J. Rich, Democrat
Brady N. Wethington, Democrat
Thomas A. Wood, Republican
Hensley Township Trustee
Beth A. Baird, Republican
Hensley Township Advisory Board, 3 members
Dennis Brownfield, Republican
William J. Meredith, Republican
Mary L. Wilkerson, Republican
Needham Township Trustee
Rita K. LaGrange, Republican
Needham Township Advisory Board, 3 members
Lucas R. Hendricks, Republican
Tara Payne, Republican
Rawdon (Rod) Staley, Republican
Nineveh Township Trustee
Janet Renner, Republican
Nineveh Township Advisory Board, 3 members
Jill L. Jackson, Republican
Kevin J. Jackson, Republican
L. Dale Mitchell, Republican
Pleasant Township Trustee
Mary Ann Powell, Republican
Pleasant Township Advisory Board, 3 members
John Asher, Republican
Mark E. Eccles, Democrat
Sharon K. Laughlin, Democrat
Jerry Napier, Republican
Britton (Big Sarge) Shoellhorn, Republican
Thomas L. Whitaker, Republican
Union Township Trustee
Annette Barr, Republican
Jana S. Chain, Democrat
Amanda L. Martin, Republican
Union Township Advisory Board, 3 members
John B. Baker, Democrat
Norma Deer, Republican
Jessica L. Legan, Republican
Tracy Mabry, Republican
Steve Miller, Republican
Ron Ping, Democrat
White River Township Trustee
Mark W. Messick, Republican
Greg Rainbolt, Republican
White River Township Advisory Board, 3 members
Larry G. Davis, Republican
David Heidenreich, Democrat
Dick Huber, Republican
David S. Pollard, Republican
Felicia Tiritilli-Davis, Democrat
Michael G. Wycoff, Republican
Margaret M. (Peggy) Young, Republican
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