Election filing underway

On the first day of major party filing for the 2010 election, a challenger has emerged for a long-time Jay County Commissioner.

Republican Roger Locker filed this morning for the commissioners' middle district seat, setting up the primary challenge to incumbent Milo Miller Jr., currently serving in the final year of his fifth four-year term in office.

Locker, 7061 East Ind. 26, Portland, currently serves as a member of the Jay County Hospital Board of Trustees.

Miller, 109 Bittersweet Lane, Portland, also filed this morning to defend his position. He is currently the commissioners' president and will be completing his 20th year on the board at the end of this term.

A total of nine candidates filed papers this morning to enter the primary election, all of them members of the Republican party.

Potential primary contests are also shaping up for other elected offices after the first morning of filing, as the incumbents have not yet indicated if they will seek re-election.

Beverly Myers, 1479 West 100 South, Portland, (R) filed for county recorder. Republican Betty St. Myers is prohibited from seeking a third consecutive term.

Also, Lesa Kirby, 3150 South 200 West, Portland will be in the Republican primary for county assessor, a seat currently held by Republican Terry LeMaster; and Mike Rockwell, 8293 E. Division Road, Portland, (R) filed for the 4th District county council seat, held by George Meehan (R).

Incumbents filing this morning include county auditor Nancy Culy, 204 Oak St., Portland, (R); sheriff Ray Newton, 1093 West 200 South, Portland, (R); 2nd District county councilman Mike Leonhard, 876 East 300 North, Portland, (R); and Jefferson Township trustee Jerry Monroe, 6421 West 300 South, Portland, (R).[[In-content Ad]]