Filing begins for campaign (01/24/07)

The Democrats were there when the door opened this morning at the Jay County Clerk's office.

But a Republican got in before the office officially opened to become the first to file for the 2007 election season.

Filing for city and town elections began this morning in the office of Jay County Clerk Jane Ann Runyon. Democrats Linda Kennedy, Jim Sanders, Jerry Leonhard and Judy Aker, all of Portland and Sandy Kirby, Redkey, walked in together when the door opened at 8:30 a.m. today.

Kip Robinette, a Republican member of the Portland City Council, was the first to file.

Robinette walked into the office prior to 8:30 a.m. and was permitted to fill out paperwork.

He told a clerk's office employee he was filing before 8:30 a.m. because he had to get to work.

Also filing this morning to run for re-election was Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier, a Republican, and city court judge Mickey Pensinger.

Primary elections will be held Tuesday, May 8, and filing for those offices will continue through Friday, Feb. 23, at noon.

Offices to be elected throughout the county include all elected officials in Portland, Dunkirk, Bryant and Salamonia; two of three town board seats in Pennville and three of five town board seats in Redkey. Pennville and Redkey are the only Jay County communities whose town board members serve staggered terms.

Here is a look at the candidates that filed as of late this morning and their party affiliation:

Portland

Mayor - Bruce Hosier (R), Jim Sanders (D)

City clerk-treasurer - Linda Kennedy (D)

District 3 - Jerry Leonhard (D)

At-large - Judy Aker (D) and Kip Robinette (R)

Redkey

Clerk-treasurer - Sandy Kirby (D)

Here's a list of other offices up for reelection, the officials currently in that position and their party affiliation:

Portland

City court judge - Michelle Pensinger (R)

City council seats (candidates must live in district and are elected in district except at large):

District 1 - Bill Gibson (R)

District 2 - Glen Bryant (R)

District 4 - Judy Aker (D)

District 7 - Dolphus Stephen (R)

Dunkirk

Mayor - Sam Hubbard (R)

City clerk-treasurer - Jane Ann Kesler (D)

City Court Judge - Tommy "Chip" Phillips

City council (must live in district but are elected at-large)

District 1 - Larry Smith (D)

District 2 - James Doughty (R)

District 3 - Craig Faulkner (D)

District 4 - Connie Whetsel (R)

At-large - Tom Johnson (D)

Redkey

Town board (at large): Donnie Quakenbush (D), Darrell Smith (D), and Dixie Toy (D).

Candidates in Salamonia, Bryant, and Pennville run on minor party tickets.

Salamonia

Candidates need petitions with six signatures.

Clerk-treasurer - Connie Southworth

Town board (at large): Gloria Pfeifer, Donna Shreeve, and Emily Daugherty

Bryant

Candidates need petitions with seven signatures.

Clerk-treasurer - Lisa Elzey.

Town board (at large): Terry Billington, Jason Elzey, and Leo Kahn

Pennville

Candidates need petitions with seven signatures.

Clerk-treasurer - Krista Scholer

Middle district board (south of Lagro Street and north of Harrison Street) - Cathy Corwin

South district (south of Harrison Street) - Ron Kreps[[In-content Ad]]