Change effects straight ticket tallies

Straight-ticket voters take note: If you want your ballot to count in the race for Jay County Council, you’ll have to make a little bit more effort.
The Indiana General Assembly, apparently because of concerns revolving around voter intent, has enacted a change to the voting process this year. According to the Jay County Election Board, the change may just be temporary, but it will have an impact on this year’s voting.
If you cast a straight-ticket ballot, you will not be voting for the county council at-large race where four candidates are vying for three seats. You also won’t be casting a ballot for any of the candidates in the non-partisan races for Jay School Board.
Instead, you’ll have to vote on those offices individually.
The first item on the official ballot is Public Question No. 1, which concerns a proposed amendment to the Indiana State Constitution that would preserve the right to hunt and fish.
Then comes the straight-party choice between the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties. That’s followed by the individual races, the last of which is for county council at-large. Republicans Jeanne Houchins and Cindy Newton, and Democrats Michelle McShane and Gary Theurer are running in the at-large race. The top three vote-getters will be the winners.
That race is followed by the Jay School Board contests. District 1 pits Kristi Betts against Mitch Waters, and District 6 pits Amanda Campbell against Krista Muhlenkamp.
In 2014, Republican straight-ticket ballots totaled 467 and Democratic straight-ticket ballots totaled 219, while four Libertarian straight-ticket ballots were cast.