Early voting will begin on Tuesday

Jay County residents can cast their votes beginning this week.
Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins Tuesday, with battles for mayor in Portland and Dunkirk highlighting the list of municipal races.
Residents will be able to vote from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Jay County Courthouse beginning Tuesday and continuing through Oct. 30. Early voting will also be available from 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 31 and 8:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 2.
Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Election Day Nov. 3.
In Portland, Mayor Randy Geesaman is facing a challenge from county government veteran and Jay County Republican Party chairman Milo Miller Jr. Both candidates cruised in the May primary election, winning with more than 70 percent of the vote.
Geesaman, who is seeking his second term after defeating two-term incumbent Bruce Hosier in 2011, topped Jeff Harker 346-107 in the Democratic primary. An Indiana University graduate, he had a 33-year career in sales before becoming Portland’s clerk-treasurer in 2009.
Miller served six terms as a Jay County Commissioner and another 10 years as a member of Jay County Council. A retired contractor, he topped Doug Blankenbaker 242-94 in the Republican primary in May.
Dunkirk’s mayoral race features a rematch from 2011, with Democrat incumbent Dan Watson going up against Republican Gene Ritter. Both candidates were unopposed in the primary.
Watson, who is seeking to become the first Dunkirk mayor to be re-elected since 1991, defeated Ritter 269-245 in the same race four years ago. He has been Jay County’s engineer since 1989 and served two-plus terms on city council.
Ritter works at plastic storage product and furniture manufacturer Keter and serves on the West Jay Community Center board among several others. He has never held elective office.
Portland’s ballot includes three other contested races.
For clerk-treasurer, incumbent Republican Mickey Scott is running against Democrat Lori Aker Ferguson. Scott is seeking her second term after running unopposed in 2011 and in the primary.
Bill Gibson, Portland City Council president, is facing a challenge from Democrat Dave Cramer. And three candidates — incumbent Democrat Judy Aker and Republicans Janet Powers and Dolphus Stephens — are running for three at-large seats on council. Kip Robinette, who currently holds the other at-large position, chose not to run for re-election.
All of Redkey’s town council positions are of the at-large variety, with five candidates vying for three seats this year. The slate includes incumbent Democrats Greg Curme and Ted Friddle, Democrat Doug Stanley, Republican David Dudelston and independent Larry Sutton. Council president Kyle Champ, a Democrat, chose not to run for re-election.
Redkey’s ballot will also include the following question: Shall the municipally owned utility be returned to the jurisdiction of the utility regulatory commission for approval of rates and charges and of the issuance of stocks, bonds, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness?
Incumbent Republican Pennville clerk-treasurer Krista M. Scholar is also facing a challenge from Amy L. Bell, an independent, in the town’s only contested race.
Four candidates are running for three seats on Salamonia Town Board, with independent Karen Keen as the lone incumbent on the ballot. The rest of the field includes fellow independents Bruce Smith and Tyler Smith, and Democrat Donald M. Shauver.
Voters in Fort Recovery will decide whether to approve a five-year renewal of its 2.5-mill general operating levy. It brings in an estimated $60,000 per year and costs residents about 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
Below is a list of candidates, with party affiliation in parentheses, who are running unopposed:

Bryant
Clerk-treasurer
Matthew Gierhart (I)

Town board (three seats)
Gregg Ellenberger (I)
Eddie Keihn (I)
Scott Schoenlein (I)

Dunkirk
Judge
Tommy (Chip) Phillips II (R)

Clerk-treasurer
Phonnie Kesler (D)
(Kesler resigned as
clerk-treasurer in August,
but the deadline
for her to withdraw
from the ballot had
already passed.)

Council – District 1
Jack L. Robbins (D)

Council – District 2
Bryan Jessup (R)

Council – District 3
Jesse Bivens (R)

Council – District 4
Lisa L. Street (D)

Council – At-large
Tom Johnson (D)

Portland
City judge
Donald C. Gillespie (R)

City council – District 2
Mark Hedges (D)

City council – District 3
Michele Brewster (R)

City council – District 4
Don Gillespie (R)

City Council – District 5
Kent McClung (R)

Redkey
Clerk-treasurer
Debbie James (D)