May 5, 2008

Crossover voters concern to GOP treasurer candidates; So. Wells has school board contests

Shar Mechling and Patty Randall both want to be the Republican Party’s candidate for Wells County Treasurer on the General Election ballot in November.

They are paired against one another in Tuesday’s primary election in the only contest on the Republican ballot.

And as the countdown to the election begins, both Republican candidates are concerned about what kind of a turnout there will be at the polls, and how many voters who usually cast Republican ballots in the primary will instead be crossing over and asking for Democrat ballots so they may take part in the presidential contest between Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton.

“So many people are crossing over to vote in the Democrat presidential contest,” Mechling told the News-Banner.

“People are concerned about the economy. They think it’s really important to vote in that contest,” Mechling said, noting her concern over how many people will be asking for Republican ballots.

Randall also expressed her concern over what effect the presidential matchup will have on the local contest.

“That’s up to the voters,” she noted in how many will be asking for Democrat ballots instead of voting in the Republican contest.

Voters asking for Democrat ballots will have the opportunity to register their choices for the party’s representatives for U.S. president and for Indiana governor in the November general election.

And the only other reason to come to the polls on Tuesday will be two school board contests for residents in the Southern Wells Community Schools district.

In Nottingham Township, incumbent board member Lynn Fiechter is being challenged by Douglas Klefeker for the school board seat, while in Jackson, newcomers Ben Morton and Mike Piqune are vying for the seat currently held by board president Joe Hartley, who did not seek re-election.

Voters in all four townships making up the Southern Wells school district will be eligible to cast ballots for the two contests.

Interest in the ongoing battle between presidential contenders Barak Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to entice voters asking for Democratic ballots at Wells County polling stations Tuesday.

Also adding spice to the Democratic ballot is the primary gubernatorial contest between Jill Long Thompson and Jim Schellinger, where the winner will take on Republican incumbent Gov. Mitch Daniels in the fall.

Mechling and Randall have been actively campaigning whenever possible, and both have been encouraging voters to come to the polls next week, stressing the importance of the county-level office of treasurer.

Although there are no other contests on the Republican slate, party officials are hopeful for a good turnout in the contest between Mechling and Randall both of whom are good, qualified candidates for the post.

Mechling and Randall are seeking to become the party’s candidate to run for the county position currently held by Rinda Harnish Vaughn, who is not eligible to seek another term.

Four years ago, when the treasurer position was on the primary ballot, there was a turnout of just 18.1 percent of the total registered voters, while two years ago when there were five Republican contests at the primary level, the voter turnout was just 20.59 percent.

Also up for election this year at the county level are the positions of recorder, surveyor, coroner, commissioner for District 2, commissioner for District 3, three Wells County Council at-large seats and Wells Superior Court judge.

The Republicans have candidates for each of those positions on the ballot, while the only slot which the Democrats have filled thus far is the contest for coroner, where Bluffton Police Officer Mike Miller is on the ballot and will be challenged by Republican Kent Gilbert in the fall.

The Democrats have until June 30, 2008 to fill any vacancies on the general election ballot.

Republican incumbents on the ballot and currently unopposed are commissioners Kevin Woodward and Paul Bonham, at-large councilmen Pete Cole, Jim Van Winkle and LeRoy Cramer, surveyor Jarrod Hahn and Superior Court Judge Everett Goshorn.

Also on the GOP ballot is Rina E. Stuck, vying for the recorder position.

Supervising Tuesday’s primary election will be the Wells Election Board, consisting of County Clerk Beth Davis as the chairman and Roy Johnson and Charles W. “Skeet” Decker III. Johnson is the Republican representative on the board and Decker is the Democrat counsel.

Davis has reported that there are 20,781 registered voters in Wells County.

She noted of that total, however, that only 15,214 are listed as “active” registered voters while the remaining 5,567 have not voted in the last two general elections are considered “inactive.”

A future purge of the voter rolls will alter the inactive list significantly as many are either deceased or no longer live in Wells County.

Parties offering rides to the polls

Headquarters for the Wells County Republican Central Committee and Wells County Democrat Headquarters will both be open all day Tuesday, May 6 as voters go to the polls for the primary election.
The public has been invited by local chairmen Dorothy Stinson of the Republicans and Chuck King of the Democrats to stop by their respective meeting places throughout the day for refreshments and fellowships.
Free rides to the polls are also available
Those needing rides can call Republican Headquarters at 824-4620 or 273-1704, or Democrat Headquarters at 824-DEMO or 273-1742.
The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

joe@news-banner.com

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