Monroe County voters will have more choices this fall when they go to the polls in November.
Both Republicans and Democrats filled a number of ballot vacancies ahead of election deadlines for major political parties.
While local parties hosted caucuses last week to select candidates for some positions, party chairmen rounded out the ballot with a few more candidates by the noon Tuesday deadline to file all necessary ballot paperwork.
Six Democrats will be added to the ballot, primarily at the township race level, that weren’t on the May primary ballot. This includes Democrat Lee Chapman to run in the Washington Township Board race. He will be joining fellow Democrat Patricia Slabach, who was included in the May primary. They will face Republicans Jerry Ayers, Kenny Bryant and Troy Lee Colvin in November. That race now also has independent candidate Paul Toddy. The six candidates are vying for one of the three available seats.
Outside of township races, Democrats also found a candidate for the Ellettsville Town Council Ward 5 seat. Democrat Todd Lare will run against Republican Pam Samples in November. Democrat Ashley Pirani was tapped during a caucus to challenge longtime Republican incumbent Marty Hawk on the Monroe County Council. Hawk has held that seat since 1998.
Republicans have fielded eight new candidates since the May primary either by caucus or appointment. In addition to filling a number of township positions, local Republicans tapped attorney and veteran Kevin Weldon to run for one of the three circuit court judge positions on the ballot. As the only GOP judicial candidate this November, Weldon will challenge Democrat Darcie Fawcett for the Circuit Court Judge, Seat 8.
Republican Steve Hogan, and former county GOP chair, was picked to run for a position on the Salt Creek Township board. He will be on the ballot in November with Democrats Guy Cunningham and Joan Hall. Republican Nelson Shaffer will also run for Bloomington Township board. Shaffer will join Republican Dawn Allen in the race against Democrats Lorrain Merriman Farrell, Barbara McKinney and Marty Spechler in November.
One candidate, Jay Thrasher filed as an Independent candidate for Richland Township board, but did not have enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. Election officials say he plans to appeal.
“I think we got an excellent slate of candidates from the congressional to township level,” Monroe County Democratic Party Chair Mark Fraley said earlier this week
Fraley said local Democrats are looking forward to maintaining its strong Democratic leadership within Monroe and to win back some state and federal positions.
Monroe County Republican Chairman William Ellis said GOP officials are ready to chip away at the perceived Democratic stronghold. Ellis said he is really pleased with this year’s slate of Republican candidates, describing them as experienced and very qualified candidates.
There are still uncontested races for both parties in Monroe County.
Election Day is Nov. 6.
2018 General Election: A look at who’s on the ballot
U.S. Senate
Joe Donnelly (D)*
Nathan Altman (write-in, independent)
Mike Braun (R)
Lucy M. Brenton (L)
Christopher Fischer (write-in, independent)
James L. Johnson Jr. (write-in, other)
Secretary of State
Connie Lawson(R)*
Jim Harper (D)
Jeremy Heath (write-in, Pirate Party)
Mark W. Rutherford (L)
George William Wolfe (write-in, Green Party)
Auditor of State
Tera Klutz(R)*
John Schick (L)
Joselyn Whitticker (D)
Treasurer of State
Kelly Mitchell (R)*
John Aguilera (D)
United States Representative, District 9
Trey Hollingsworth (R)*
Liz Watson (D)
State Representative District 46
Bob Heaton (R)*
E. Thomasina Marsili (D)
State Representative District 60
Peggy Mayfield (R)*
Penny Githens (D)
State Representative District 61
Matt Pierce (D)*
No GOP candidate
State Representative District 62
Jeff Ellington (R)*
Amy Swain (D)
State Representative District 65
Chris D. May (R)*
Jared Stancombe (D)
Circuit Court Judge Division 2, Seat 2
Christine Talley Haseman (D)
No GOP candidate
Circuit Court Judge, Division 6, Seat 3
Catherine Stafford (D)
No GOP candidate
Circuit Court Judge, Division 9, Seat 8
Darcie L. Fawcett (D)
Kevin Weldon (R)
Prosecuting Attorney
Erika Oliphant (D)
No GOP candidate
County Clerk
Nicole Browne (D)*
Jacob Franklin (R)
County Recorder
Eric Schmitz (D)*
Hal Turner (R)
County Sheriff
Brad Swain (D)*
No GOP candidate
County Assessor
Judith A. Sharp (D)*
No GOP candidate
County Commissioner District 1
Larry Barker (R)
Lee Jones (D)
County Council District 1
Shelli Yoder (D)*
Ann Boehm (R)
County Council District 2
Ann Collins (R)
Kate Wiltz (D)
County Council District 3
Marty Hawk (R)*
Ashley Pirani (D)
County Council District 4
Eric Spoonmore (D)*
No GOP candidate
Bean Blossom Township trustee
Pamela Cook (D)*
Ed Bitner (R)
Bean Blossom Township Board (pick 3)
Debra Hutson (R)
Ron Hutson (R)
Randy Jacobs (D)
Kelsey McGlocklin (D)
Vicki L. McGlockin (R)
Benny Walden (D)
Benton Township trustee
Michelle Bright (D)*
No GOP Candidate
Benton Township Board (pick 3)
Joe Husk (D)
Hans Kelson (D)
Sean McInerney (D)
Lynn Stevens (R)
Bloomington Township trustee
Kim Alexander (D)
Azure Fender (R)
Bloomington Township Board (pick 3)
Dawn Allen (R)
Lorraine Merriman Farrell (D)
Barbara McKinney (D)
Marty Spechler (D)
Nelson Shaffer (R)
Clear Creek Township trustee
Thelma Kelley Jeffries (R)*
No Democrat candidate
Clear Creek Township Board (pick 3)
Robert Hall II (R)
Randy May (R)
John A. Thrasher (R)
No Democrat candidate
Indian Creek Township trustee
Beverly Himes (D)
Christopher Reynolds (R)
Indian Creek Township Board (pick 3)
Scott Clarke (R)
Rosemary Doherty (D)
Katrina Ladwig (R)
Wayne Sullivan (D)
Roger Taylor (R)
Perry Township trustee
Dan Combs (D)*
No GOP Candidate
Perry Township Board (pick 3)
Jack Davis (D)
Susie Hamilton (D)
Jennifer Mickel (R)
Barbara Sturbaum (D)
Scott Tibbs (R)
Polk Township Trustee
Chris Spiek (R)*
No Democratic candidate
Polk Township Board
David Hollars (R)
Woody Kilmer (D)
Vic Streiff (D)
Richland Township trustee
Marty Stephens (R)*
No Democratic candidate
Richland Township Board (pick 3)
Marjorie Clouse (R)
Dawn Durnil (R)
David Willibey (R)
No Democratic candidate
Salt Creek Township trustee
Donn Hall (D)*
No GOP candidate
Salt Creek Township Board (pick 3)
Guy Cunningham (D)
Joan Hall (D)
Steve Hogan (R)
Van Buren Township trustee
Rita Barrow (R)*
No Democratic candidate
Van Buren Township Board (pick 3)
Ronnie Pursell (R)
Mary Rice (R)
William “Will” E. Smith III (D)
John Wilson (R)
Washington Township trustee
Barbara Ooley (R)*
No Democratic candidate
Washington Township Board (pick 3)
Jerry Ayers (R)
Kenny Bryant (R)
Lee Chapman (D)
Troy Lee Colvin (R)
Patricia Slabach (D)
Paul Toddy (I)
Ellettsville Town Council, Ward 4
Dan Swafford (R)
No Democratic candidate
Ellettsville Town Council, Ward 5
Todd Lare (D)
Pam Samples (R)
