Aside from the race to declare a Republican candidate for the General Election in the bid for Indiana’s Senate seat, there are many other contested races coming in the May primary and at least one referendum.
Candidates vying for the Republican nomination for the seat held currently by Joe Donnelly are Mike Braun, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita who, most recently, was our Fourth District congressional representative.
There are five candidates running for the Republican nomination for the seat to be vacated by Rokita. These include Jim Baird, Steve Braun, Kevin J. Grant, Diego Morales, James Nease, Tim Radice and Jared Guy Thomas.
The field for the Democratic nomination is no less crowded as is customary for an open seat. Vying for the Democratic nomination for the Fourth District congressional seat are Tobi Beck, Roger D. Day, Roland Ellis, Darin Patrick Griesey, Joseph W. Mackey and Veronikka M. Ziol.
There are no other contested nominations for the Democratic Party in Hendricks County.
Here are the other contested races for the Republican nomination of these offices.
Locally, there are a few contested races at the county level. These include the Republican nomination for County Surveyor between David Gaston and Thomas I. Goode. There is a race for the Republican nomination for County Council Dist. 1 between David Cox and James Reynolds. That seat is being vacated by Michael Rogers.
There are a couple of contested races for the Republican nomination for Township Trustee. In Brown Township Tom Kmetz and Nate Mantlo are seeking nomination. In Center Township, Scott Strong is challenging incumbent Judy White. Three Republicans are seeking the nomination for Liberty Township trustee. Eric Barker, Debbe L. Lance and Ron Myers are running for that seat. In Lincoln Township incumbent Trustee Donovan Peoples is being challenged by Joe Walsh and in Union Township the race for the Republican nomination is between Danita Jo Coffenberry and Robert Stringer.
There are some contested races for Township Board members. For instance, in Brown Township Fred Arkanoff, Michael T. Clouser, Angela D. Delp and Mike Farrell are competing for the top three spots to run in November. In Center Township the race for the nomination includes James N. Disney, Beth Harvey, Deelynna Oliphant and Patsy Wynn. Again the top three vote-getters will move on to run in November. The race for the Republican nomination for the Guilford Township Board includes Ed Gaddie, Daniel Kinnamon, Charles P. Morris and Anthony A. (Tony) Perona. In Liberty Township Republican voters will be picking the top three between Larry E. Bruner, Ronnie Jo Cooper, David Ernst and John Leitzman. Vying for the Republican nomination for Lincoln Township Board are Dana L. Carter, Kendall Hendricks, Lael Hill and Emory T. Lencke. Voters will be picking three. In Middle Township, candidates for the Republican nomination are Patrick S. Carmean, Lynn T. Love, Joel Starnes and Jason Stumm.
The race for the Republican nomination for town councils has a few contested races including two in Avon. In Ward 1 James (Jim) Tygrett will be running against Greg Zusan in May. And in Ward 2, the Republican nomination will go to either Jeremy Eglen or Dawn Lowden. Brownsburg has one contested race for the Republican nomination. That’s in Ward 1 between Dennis Dawes and Chris Keesler. In Danville, there are two contested races in the Primary. In Ward 1, Tom Pado and Dennis Wynn are squaring off. In Ward 3 the nomination will either go to Chris Gearld or Marcia Lynch.
There is expected to be a referendum question about Avon schools to raise operating funds above the state allocation. The exact wording of the question has not been approved.
The Indiana Primary will be May 8 with early voting available 30 days prior. New voting centers will be in effect for for the Primary. Voters will be able to vote at any of 26 locations within Hendricks County. A map of the voting centers is provided here.
