Choices, changes await primary voters (04/29/06)

Choices and changes are the themes as Jay County — and the rest of the Hoosier state — prepares to go to the polls Tuesday for the primary election.

Multiple choices are in store for local voters whether he or she chooses a Democratic or Republican ballot in the first election in which a photo identification must be presented before casting a vote. Poll locations have also changed for some voters (see box at right).

The polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.

Drawing the most attention locally is the race for sheriff, which features six candidates (four Republican; two Democrat). The six, comprised of four Jay County Sheriff’s Deputies, one Portland Police officer and one member of the Indiana State Police, are running to succeed two-term sheriff Todd Penrod, who is prohibited from running for re-election.

On the GOP side are Bob Brown, Larry “Ray” Newton, Jay Halstead and Mitch Sutton, while Democratic contenders are Mark Barnett and Greg Franks.

Also in the Democratic primary, Brad Burkett, in the final year of his first term as Jay County Prosecutor, faces a challenge from veteran prosecutor Robert Clamme (see related story on this page).

And back on the Republican side, three-term incumbent Commissioner of the Middle District Milo Miller Jr. is being challenged by Jack Houck, who is currently president of the Jay County Council.

Two Republicans are on the primary ballot to take Houck’s District 2 council seat — former councilwoman Mary Lu Premer and former commissioner Mike Leonhard.

Two council incumbents also face primary challenges — George Meehan in District 4 and Gerald Kirby in District 1. Meehan is running against Vicki Cecil, while former school board member Ted Champ is challenging Kirby.

In Redkey, five Democrats have filed to run for two open seats on the town council. The top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary will be on the ballot in November. No Republicans have filed, but candidates can be slated this summer.

On the state level, State Sen. Allen Paul, who has served all or parts of Jay County for nearly five four-year terms, is facing Richmond insurance man Bruce Wissel on Tuesday.[[In-content Ad]]Here are the polling sites in Jay County for Tuesday’s election, with the former site in parenthesis where the site has been changed:

•Dunkirk 1 — West Jay Community Center.

•Dunkirk 3 — West Jay Community Center.

•South Redkey (formerly at the Park Cabin) — Redkey Town Hall.

•North Redkey (formerly at the North Meridian Street United Methodist Church) — Redkey Town Hall.

•Knox (formerly at the Oak Grove Church) — West Jay Community Center.

•Penn — Pennville Community Center.

•Jefferson (formerly at the Jay County Conservation Club) — Freeman Scout Complex, 4681 West 450 South.

•Greene — Greene Township Community Center.

•Jackson (formerly at Union Chapel Church) — Bryant Community Center.

•Pike — Bluff Point Community Center.

•Wayne 1 (formerly at the Portland Moose Lodge) ‚ Portland Armory, 1976 West Tyson Road.

•Wayne 2 — Jay County Courthouse auditorium.

•Wayne 3 (formerly at the Zion Lutheran Church) — Jay Community Center.

•Wayne 4 — Jay Community Center.

•Wayne 5 (formerly at the 4-H building at the Jay County Fairgrounds) — Jay Community Center.

•Bearcreek — Bryant Community Center.

•Madison — Madison Township Fire Station.

•Noble (formerly at Rock ’N L Arena) — Jay Community Center.

•Wabash — Trinity Catholic Church.

•Wayne 6 — Portland Armory.

•Wayne 7 — Portland First Church of the Nazarene.