July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Local vote isn't close (05/07/08)
By By JACK RONALD-
Hillary Clinton and Jill Long Thompson blew the doors off their competition with Jay County voters Tuesday in a primary election that saw what may be a record voter turnout statewide.
Clinton bested Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama by a margin of 2,256 to 1,379 locally, grabbing about 68 percent of the ballots cast.
Long Thompson, who once represented Jay County in Congress and is a well-known figure with local voters, topped Indianapolis architect Jim Schellinger in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor by a margin of 2,160 to 1,351.
Democrats had no other contested races on the primary ballot, but there were several local races on the Republican side of the aisle.
About 45 percent of the nearly 12,000 registered in Jay County cast a ballot in the primary election.
Incumbent county treasurer Robin L. Alberson won a strong vote of confidence as she fended off a challenge by Jim Randall for the GOP nomination. Alberson defeated Randall by a vote of 1,226 to 338, receiving more than 78 percent of the ballots cast. There is currently no Democratic candidate for treasurer.
Paulette Bonvillian Wagner posted almost as big a win as she won the GOP nomination for county coroner, defeating Warren A. Boice. Wagner received 1,058 votes to Boice's 422.
In the race for three Republican nominations for county council at-large, the winners were Marilyn A. Coleman, Judy LeMaster, and Jerry D. Monroe.
In a five-way race, Coleman received 1,126 votes (29 percent), followed by LeMaster with 1,070 (28 percent), and Monroe with 857 (22 percent). Jason A. White received 433 votes (11 percent), and Dennis M. Mason Jr. 339 votes (9 percent).
Coleman and LeMaster are current council members, while Monroe is long-term Jefferson Township Trustee.
Crossovers by Republicans and independents choosing to vote in the hotly-contested Democratic presidential race played a role in Tuesday's election.
About 70 percent of the ballots chosen in Jay County for the primary were Democratic in a county which traditionally sees a majority of primary voters choose a Republican ballot. It appeared that faced with a choice between having input into three contested local races and casting a vote in the first competitive presidential primary in the state in 40 years, local voters, like those across Indiana, chose the latter.
A total of 3,635 votes were cast in the Democratic presidential race in Jay County, compared to just 1,529 on the Republican side.
The 2004 primary saw just 1,301 voters ask for Democratic ballots and the 2000 primary saw 1,970 Democratic ballots.
Meanwhile, as presumptive nominee John McCain walked to an easy win with more than 73 percent of the Jay County votes, Republican vote totals were down dramatically from their usual levels.
Only 1,529 ballots were cast in Tuesday's GOP presidential contest. In 2004, 2,542 voters asked for Republican ballots in the Jay primary. And in 2000, 2,849 voted in the GOP primary.
Final totals in the Republican presidential race that was essentially a formality showed McCain with 1,123 votes, followed by Mike Huckabee with 191, Ron Paul with 138, and Mitt Romney with 77.
The mood was light Tuesday at Republican headquarters, located in a former used car dealership on North Meridian Street. Chatter stopped when results were read over local radio station WPGW.
Wagner clapped in satisfaction as she learned of her primary victory, while two of Alberson's three daughters in attendance patted her on the legs.
"When I came in tonight, I was a little apprehensive," said Wagner, who filled the unexpired portion of a term as coroner following the resignation of former coroner Brad Myers. She will face Democrat Mark Barnett in the fall. Wagner lost the general election to Barnett in 2004.
The three GOP council nominees - LeMaster, Coleman and Monroe - will be on the ballot in the fall. The only Democratic candidate for the at-large council seat is current Jay County Commissioner Gary Theurer. Democrats could slate other council candidates before a summer deadline.
"You just never know how voters are going to vote," LeMaster said after results were final. "You can never really tell, but we did have a pretty good turnout this year."
Monroe said he was glad to finish third in Tuesday's primary, but "we've still got November to go through."
Mason, White, Randall and Boice were not present during Tuesday night's election night gathering at GOP headquarters.
Obama won just one precinct in Jay County - Greene Township - and that one by a single vote. His best performance was in some of the Wayne precincts, where polled as much as 46 percent of the vote. But he was clobbered in the traditional Democratic strongholds of Dunkirk and Redkey.
Clinton won more than 73 percent of the vote in North Redkey and nearly 71 percent of the vote in Dunkirk 3. The margins were slightly smaller in South Redkey and Dunkirk 1, but they were still overwhelming. Clinton won more than 69 percent of the Dunkirk 1 Democratic vote and more than 62 percent of the South Redkey vote.
Clinton also won in all adjacent counties. She defeated Obama 3,147 to 2,283 in Adams County, 14,743 to 12,971 in Delaware County, 2,846 to 1,748 in Randolph County, 1,940 to 1,024 in Blackford County, and 2,613 to 1,907 in Wells County,
Long Thompson won impressively across the county, ending up with more than 61 percent of the local vote in the race for the gubernatorial nomination.
Geneva Republicans selected Bill Warren as their nominee for clerk-treasurer by a one-vote margin. Warren defeated Rosie Puterbaugh 77 to 76.
In a three-way race for the District 6 at-large seat on the South Adams School Board, Steve Dobbler won re-election with a narrow margin. Dobbler received 849 votes, while challenger Amy Orr received 840 and Shawn Hamrick received 357. John C. Buckingham was unopposed for the District 4 seat on the board, and Julie Mansfield was unopposed for the District 5 seat.
Here is a look at how local races are shaping up for the general election. That election, set Nov. 4, will also include races for seats on the Jay School Board.
State Representative
(District 33)
Democrat - Andy Schemenaur; Republican - Bill Davis.
Judge of Jay Superior Court
Republican - Max Ludy Jr.; Democrat - No candidate.
Clerk of Jay Circuit Court
Democrat - Judy Aker; Republican - Ellen Coats.
Jay County Treasurer
Republican - Robin Alberson; Democrat - No candidate.
Jay County Coroner
Democrat - Mark Barnett; Republican - Paulette Wagner.
Jay County Surveyor
Republican - Brad Daniels; Democrat - No candidate.
Jay County Commissioner
(North District)
Republican - Faron Parr; Democrat - No candidate.
Jay County Commissioner
(South District)
Democrat - Gerald Kirby; Republican - Jim Zimmerman.
Jay County Council (At-Large)
Republican - Marilyn Coleman, Judy LeMaster, Jerry Monroe; Democrat - Gary Theurer.
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Clinton bested Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama by a margin of 2,256 to 1,379 locally, grabbing about 68 percent of the ballots cast.
Long Thompson, who once represented Jay County in Congress and is a well-known figure with local voters, topped Indianapolis architect Jim Schellinger in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor by a margin of 2,160 to 1,351.
Democrats had no other contested races on the primary ballot, but there were several local races on the Republican side of the aisle.
About 45 percent of the nearly 12,000 registered in Jay County cast a ballot in the primary election.
Incumbent county treasurer Robin L. Alberson won a strong vote of confidence as she fended off a challenge by Jim Randall for the GOP nomination. Alberson defeated Randall by a vote of 1,226 to 338, receiving more than 78 percent of the ballots cast. There is currently no Democratic candidate for treasurer.
Paulette Bonvillian Wagner posted almost as big a win as she won the GOP nomination for county coroner, defeating Warren A. Boice. Wagner received 1,058 votes to Boice's 422.
In the race for three Republican nominations for county council at-large, the winners were Marilyn A. Coleman, Judy LeMaster, and Jerry D. Monroe.
In a five-way race, Coleman received 1,126 votes (29 percent), followed by LeMaster with 1,070 (28 percent), and Monroe with 857 (22 percent). Jason A. White received 433 votes (11 percent), and Dennis M. Mason Jr. 339 votes (9 percent).
Coleman and LeMaster are current council members, while Monroe is long-term Jefferson Township Trustee.
Crossovers by Republicans and independents choosing to vote in the hotly-contested Democratic presidential race played a role in Tuesday's election.
About 70 percent of the ballots chosen in Jay County for the primary were Democratic in a county which traditionally sees a majority of primary voters choose a Republican ballot. It appeared that faced with a choice between having input into three contested local races and casting a vote in the first competitive presidential primary in the state in 40 years, local voters, like those across Indiana, chose the latter.
A total of 3,635 votes were cast in the Democratic presidential race in Jay County, compared to just 1,529 on the Republican side.
The 2004 primary saw just 1,301 voters ask for Democratic ballots and the 2000 primary saw 1,970 Democratic ballots.
Meanwhile, as presumptive nominee John McCain walked to an easy win with more than 73 percent of the Jay County votes, Republican vote totals were down dramatically from their usual levels.
Only 1,529 ballots were cast in Tuesday's GOP presidential contest. In 2004, 2,542 voters asked for Republican ballots in the Jay primary. And in 2000, 2,849 voted in the GOP primary.
Final totals in the Republican presidential race that was essentially a formality showed McCain with 1,123 votes, followed by Mike Huckabee with 191, Ron Paul with 138, and Mitt Romney with 77.
The mood was light Tuesday at Republican headquarters, located in a former used car dealership on North Meridian Street. Chatter stopped when results were read over local radio station WPGW.
Wagner clapped in satisfaction as she learned of her primary victory, while two of Alberson's three daughters in attendance patted her on the legs.
"When I came in tonight, I was a little apprehensive," said Wagner, who filled the unexpired portion of a term as coroner following the resignation of former coroner Brad Myers. She will face Democrat Mark Barnett in the fall. Wagner lost the general election to Barnett in 2004.
The three GOP council nominees - LeMaster, Coleman and Monroe - will be on the ballot in the fall. The only Democratic candidate for the at-large council seat is current Jay County Commissioner Gary Theurer. Democrats could slate other council candidates before a summer deadline.
"You just never know how voters are going to vote," LeMaster said after results were final. "You can never really tell, but we did have a pretty good turnout this year."
Monroe said he was glad to finish third in Tuesday's primary, but "we've still got November to go through."
Mason, White, Randall and Boice were not present during Tuesday night's election night gathering at GOP headquarters.
Obama won just one precinct in Jay County - Greene Township - and that one by a single vote. His best performance was in some of the Wayne precincts, where polled as much as 46 percent of the vote. But he was clobbered in the traditional Democratic strongholds of Dunkirk and Redkey.
Clinton won more than 73 percent of the vote in North Redkey and nearly 71 percent of the vote in Dunkirk 3. The margins were slightly smaller in South Redkey and Dunkirk 1, but they were still overwhelming. Clinton won more than 69 percent of the Dunkirk 1 Democratic vote and more than 62 percent of the South Redkey vote.
Clinton also won in all adjacent counties. She defeated Obama 3,147 to 2,283 in Adams County, 14,743 to 12,971 in Delaware County, 2,846 to 1,748 in Randolph County, 1,940 to 1,024 in Blackford County, and 2,613 to 1,907 in Wells County,
Long Thompson won impressively across the county, ending up with more than 61 percent of the local vote in the race for the gubernatorial nomination.
Geneva Republicans selected Bill Warren as their nominee for clerk-treasurer by a one-vote margin. Warren defeated Rosie Puterbaugh 77 to 76.
In a three-way race for the District 6 at-large seat on the South Adams School Board, Steve Dobbler won re-election with a narrow margin. Dobbler received 849 votes, while challenger Amy Orr received 840 and Shawn Hamrick received 357. John C. Buckingham was unopposed for the District 4 seat on the board, and Julie Mansfield was unopposed for the District 5 seat.
Here is a look at how local races are shaping up for the general election. That election, set Nov. 4, will also include races for seats on the Jay School Board.
State Representative
(District 33)
Democrat - Andy Schemenaur; Republican - Bill Davis.
Judge of Jay Superior Court
Republican - Max Ludy Jr.; Democrat - No candidate.
Clerk of Jay Circuit Court
Democrat - Judy Aker; Republican - Ellen Coats.
Jay County Treasurer
Republican - Robin Alberson; Democrat - No candidate.
Jay County Coroner
Democrat - Mark Barnett; Republican - Paulette Wagner.
Jay County Surveyor
Republican - Brad Daniels; Democrat - No candidate.
Jay County Commissioner
(North District)
Republican - Faron Parr; Democrat - No candidate.
Jay County Commissioner
(South District)
Democrat - Gerald Kirby; Republican - Jim Zimmerman.
Jay County Council (At-Large)
Republican - Marilyn Coleman, Judy LeMaster, Jerry Monroe; Democrat - Gary Theurer.
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