Republican voters will have a few local choices to make when they cast a ballot May 7 in the Primary Election.
At the conclusion of the month-long candidate filing period Friday, contested races emerged for county clerk, county recorder and county council at large.
Recently appointed county clerk, Leah Craft Denbo, will face Sondra Dittmer Sixberry for the GOP nomination, and Nancy Cox, chief deputy in the county treasurer’s office, and Shari Lovold are both seeking the county recorder’s position.
There are four candidates seeking three county council at large positions. Incumbents David Hunt and Gary Booth will be on the ballot along with Mike Warren and David McCarthey.
The county commissioner seats for district 1 and district 3 are uncontested. Jake Bohlander, a current county councilman at large, is seeking the district 1 seat held by John Frey who is not seeking re-election. Incumbent Dan Guard also filed to retain his commissioner district 3 seat.
Steve Gressmire is running unopposed for county coroner as is incumbent county surveyor Tom Cummins.
There will be several races for Republican precinct committeeman. Darren Forman and Lonnie Jones are vying for the Coal Creek seat; Jennifer Bentley Pursell and Christina L. Sharp are seeking the Crawfordsville 1 seat; and Frey and Jennifer Andel are vying for the Union 3 seat.
There is a four-person race for the Union 6 seat. Phil Boots, Sondra Dittmer Sixberry, Larry M. Sharp and Sharon F. Sharp have filed for that office.
Jerry Chadwick and Penny McCann Washer are vying for the Walnut seat, and Jim Dittmer and Bob Cox are vying for the Wayne seat.
Republicans will send the top 12 vote-getters as delegates to the party’s state convention. Voters will choose from the following 22 candidates: Andel, Todd D. Barton, Bentley Pursell, Boots, Craft Denbo, Dittmer, Dittmer Sixberry, Karyn D. Douglas, Cecily A. Dresser, Forman, Frey, Jim Fulwider, Guard, Steve Loy, McCann Washer, Steven D. McLaughlin, Brad Monts, Aaron Morgan, Christina L. Sharp, Larry M. Sharp, Sharon F. Sharp and Lora J. Whiles.
No local Democrat candidates filed for the Primary Election.
Voter registration will end April 8. Early voting will run from April 9 to May 6.
After the primary, independent or minor party candidates may file their paperwork to be on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot. Deadlin is noon July 1.
The November ballot will also include local non-partisan school board elections. Candidates may file from May 21 through noon June 20. There are two at large seats open on the five-member Crawfordsville Community School Board; three seats — North Union, Madison and at large — open on the seven-member North Montgomery School Board; and three seats — Scott, South Union and Ripley — open on the seven-member South Montgomery School Board.
