Nixon eked out win for commissioner seat

Twenty-five years ago this week, election turnout in Jay County was high as Bill Clinton was elected president, Ron Liggett claimed the state representative seat and Ed Nixon scored a narrow victory for Jay County Council.

Nixon and Gene Stigleman were embroiled in the tights race of the night, with Stigleman holding the lead most of the way as votes were tallied at Jay County Courthouse. However, Nixon made a late surge to win by just 10 votes — 4,305-4,295 — in an election that saw 87 percent of the county’s registered voters cast a ballot.

The race for county coroner was also hotly contested. That won came down to just 28 votes, with Democrat Mark Barnett defeating Republican George Meehan.

In the presidential race, local voters backed the incumbent president by a slim margin. Republican George H.W. Bush earned 3,609 votes in Jay County compared to 3,208 for Bill Clinton and 1,994 for independent H. Ross Perot. Bush carried the state, but Clinton took the rest of the Midwest en route to winning his first term.

In other local races, Democrat Andy Schemenaur and Republicans Stephen Myron and Michael Hunt earned seats on Jay County Council, Republican Judy LeMaster defeated Democrat Stan Burkett for county treasurer and Republican Marilyn Coleman held off a strong challenge from Democrat Linda Kennedy for clerk of Jay Circuit Court.