Porter County Sheriff Jeff Balon, Porter County Council Vice President Red Stone, and Porter County Auditor Karen Martin appear to be running for reelection unopposed, as of press time Friday afternoon, according to the county’s Elections & Registration Office website.
Elections & Registration Office staff couldn’t say when the process of manually entering all the candidates would be completed, but said the last hour of filing from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday was hectic.
The clerk, recorder, and assessor races each have one Republican and Democrat running. Republican and Deputy Clerk Jackie Haney will face off against Democratic Valparaiso City Council Member Barbara Domer for the clerk’s seat that will be vacated by Democrat Jessica Bailey, who has termed out. Deputy Recorder Jon Miller, a Republican, is running against Democrat Leslie Nuss Bamesberger for the recorder’s job. Incumbent Assessor Sue Neff, a Republican, is unopposed for the primary, but will face Democrat Scott Kingan in the general election.
Three Republicans – Jeff Beach, Chief Deputy Coroner Brian Bowles, and Jerame Simpson — will vie in the primary to make it on the party’s ticket for coroner against Democrat Julie Wiencken-Smith in November.
In the District 2 Commissioner race to fill the seat held by Commissioner Barb Regnitz, R-Center, who isn’t running for reelection but has instead put her hat in the ring for Frank Mrvan’s First District Congressional seat, both parties will hold primary contests. Porter County Councilman Mike Brickner, R-At-Large, and Porter County Coroner Cyndi Dykes are each seeking the Republican slot on the November ballot, while Democrats James Kocal and Kyle Nelsen are competing to compete against one of them.
The County Council District 2 race has one candidate from each party. Republican Spencer Lemmons and Democrat Brian Gulley will advance to the general election in the fight for Councilman Jeremy Rivas’ seat. Rivas, who currently sits as a Democrat, announced at the end of the last county council meeting that if he chooses to run for reelection, it will be as an independent. Candidate filing for independents doesn’t close until summer.
County Council President Andy Vasquez, R-4th, is being challenged by Republican Craig Kenworthy in his reelection campaign. The winner will face Democrat Julia Kocal in November. County Councilman Greg Simms, D-3rd, is being challenged by Democrat Jack Tipold in his reelection bid, while Republicans Dawn Miller and Kyle Reynolds will square off in May to represent their party.
Liberty Township Trustee Matt Keiser, Pleasant Township Trustee Karyl Van Dyke, Porter Township Trustee Chris Hendon, and Washington Township Trustee Scott Gilbert, all Republicans, are seeking reelection unopposed. Republican Andy Blastick is running unopposed for Morgan Township Trustee.
Jackson Township has two Republicans running to be trustee: Rudolph Jimenez and Julie Wagner. One of them will face Democrat Mary Willis in November. The other half of the townships each have only one candidate from each party.
Several incumbent township trustees are running unopposed in the primary, but will have a race in the general. In Boone Township, incumbent Republican Howard O’Connor will compete against Democrat David Ramsey. Incumbent Portage Township Trustee Brendan Clancy is running for reelection against Republican Nicholas Pappas in the fall. Incumbent Union Township Trustee Republican George Topoll will face Democrat Angela Forystek in November. And incumbent Westchester Township Trustee Suzanne Philbrick, a Democrat, faces Republican Todd Elliott in the general election.
Porter County Recorder Chuck Harris is the Republican candidate for Center Township Trustee against Democrat Kevin Hagen. Republican James Phares and Democrat Matthew Smith are seeking the Pine Township Trustee office.
Kouts and Ogden Dunes are the only towns with elections this cycle. Republican John Schoon is running for Kouts Town Council, District 4, unopposed, and there are no candidates for the Council, District 2 election. Democrat Amy Parry is running for Ogden Dunes Town Clerk, while Democrat Jordan Bailey is running for Ogden Dunes Council At-Large. There are no candidates for the Southern Ward seat.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
