Tight Auditor’s Race Featured in Pulaski County Primary

Pulaski County voters have narrowed down their list of candidates heading into November’s General Election. The tightest race of Tuesday’s primary was for county auditor. Incumbent Republican Laura Wheeler narrowly defeated challenger Tim Hoffa Jr. by a margin of 50.49-percent-to-49.51-percent or just 17 votes. Hoffa had led throughout the early returns, before Wheeler took the lead with the final vote center counted.

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Absentee Voting Continues in Pulaski and Starke Counties

Primary Election day is just around the corner, and while some people will be venturing to the polls on May 8th, there are many people in Starke and Pulaski counties who have opted to vote early.

The Pulaski County Clerk’s Office reported that, as of Saturday afternoon, 22 ballots have been cast by mail, 35 individuals have cast ballots by travel board and 204 in-person absentee ballots have been cast.

According to the Starke County Clerk’s Office, between April 10th and April 28th, 21 ballots have been cast through the travel board, 39 mail-in ballots have been received and there were a total of 356 ballots cast by walk-ins. Continue reading

Absentee Voting for Primary Election Starts Today

Today is the first-day voters may cast an absentee ballot for the 2018 primary election, which means you can walk into an absentee location and cast an early vote for the primary.

All registered Indiana voters are eligible to vote absentee-in-person at their county election board office, just don’t forget to bring a valid ID with you. Specific dates and locations for absentee voting can be found below: Continue reading

Open Seats in Starke County for 2018 Elections

According to Starke County Election Deputy Clerk Crystal McCarty-Taylor, people can file for a declaration of candidacy starting today anytime between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and they have until February 9th at noon to file.

Interested individuals must come into the Starke County Clerk’s Office to file. She added that no exceptions will be made if the February deadline is missed.

Officials up for election in Starke County include the County Sheriff, Assessor, Coroner, Recorder and Auditor as well as the Prosecuting Attorney and Circuit Court Clerk. Elections will also be held for the County Commissioners in District 2 which includes California, Center and Davis Townships. Continue reading

Open Seats in Pulaski County for 2018 Elections

Wednesday marks the first day a declaration of candidacy may be filed and several Pulaski County positions will be up for election this year.

Seats are open for Circuit Court and Superior Court Judges who each serve 6-year terms. Elections will also be held for the 4-year terms of Prosecuting Attorney, Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff, Assessor, Surveyor, Coroner and Commissioner for District #3. All registered voters can vote for these positions and may also cast a vote for the delegate to State Conventions. Continue reading

Republicans Win Big in Starke County

  
 

Starke County favored Republicans in many key races in Tuesday’s election. The race to replace Kent Danford as the District 3 County Commissioner ended with Charles Chesak gaining 59 percent of the vote, compared to 37 percent for Democrat Karen Tibbs. Meanwhile, Kathy Norem keeps her District 1 seat, after defeating Buddy Ringle by a margin of 65-to-35 percent.  Continue reading

BMV Amends Hours to Accommodate Elections

 
 

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branches will adjust their hours next Monday and Tuesday in order to accommodate prospective voters. They will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2 and from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. During those times license branches will only process new, amended or replacement ID card and driver’s license or learner permit applications. New driver’s licenses and learner permits will only be processed if the customer has already completed the required testing. Continue reading

Starke County Election Board Finalizes Election Plans

 
 

Supporters of the North Judson-San Pierre School funding referendum have gathered the necessary signatures to ask the county to allow poll watchers at the precincts within the district. They will double check names of likely voters against voter registration lists to ensure supporters of the effort turn out to vote. The election board will review the signatures on the petitions to make sure they are all registered voters who live within the county before approving the request during a meeting next week. Continue reading

Candidates Begin Filing for Municipal Election

  
 

The first week of filing for candidacy in this year’s Municipal Election is in the books. Pulaski County Clerk Tasha Foerg did not report any filings in her office for town positions in Winamac, Francesville, Medaryville and Monterey, but plenty were recorded in Starke and Marshall Counties.

Democrat Rick Chambers will seek his third term as Mayor of Knox. Former Mayor Dennis Estok, a Democrat, is also on the ballot for Knox Mayor. The two faced off for the mayor’s seat in 2007 in a primary election. Chambers won the election and has been the mayor since that time.

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Starke County Officials Sworn In

Starke County Candidates Sworn In
1st Row: Starke County Clerk Vicki Cooley, Center Twp. Advisory Board Member Bertha Blue, Washington Twp. Trustee Cathy Benko, Jackson Twp. Advisory Board Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas Bourff, County Council District 4 Pam Stalbaum, Assessor Rhonda Milner. 2nd Row: Jackson Twp. Trustee Robert Schmidt, Jackson Twp. Advisory Board Member Marilyn Lockridge, Wayne Twp. Advisory Board Member Marilynn Pacilio, Wayne Twp. Advisory Board Member Marvin Peters,Wayne Twp. Trustee Clara Schacht, Davis Twp. Advisory Board Member Cheryle Ferch, Auditor Katherine Chaffins. 3rd Row: Jackson Twp. Advisory Board Member Michelle Hounshell, County Council District 2 Jennifer Davis, County Council District 1 Brad Hazelton, Sheriff Bill Dulin, Commissioner Don Binkley, Davis Twp. Trustee Robin Latimer, Recorder Lisa Minix, Oregon Twp. Advisory Board Member Carole Noble, Davis Twp. Advisory Board Member Robert Ferch

Several newly elected Starke County officials took their oaths of office on Thursday, Dec. 18 at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in downtown Knox. Their terms of office will begin on Jan. 1, 2015.

 

Recount Commission Reaffirms Vote Totals

Starke County IT Director Joe Short, Democrat James A. Henriott and Republican Marilyn Folkers review vote totals in the two races in which challenges were filed.
Starke County IT Director Joe Short, Democrat James A. Henriott and Republican Marilyn Folkers review vote totals in the two races in which challenges were filed.

The three-member commission charged with reviewing vote totals in two close Starke County races found no discrepancies in either contest. The certificate they will file with the Starke County Clerk’s office finds Democrat Pamela Stalbaum beat Republican Don White by two votes in the fourth district county council race. By the numbers, Stalbaum got 707 votes to White’s 705 for the seat currently held by Marvin McLaughlin. Continue reading

Recount Commission Members to Meet Today

  
 

The three-member recount commission appointed last week by Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall to review the votes cast in two recent General Election contests will meet this morning at the courthouse. They’re looking into the outcome of the fourth district county council race between Democrat Pam Stalbaum and Republican Don White. The Republican Party filed a recount petition on White’s behalf after Stalbaum eked out a two-vote victory in the race to succeed Democrat Marvin McLaughlin. Incumbent Railroad Township Trustee Roger Chaffins, Sr. also filed a petition for a recount after losing to Republican Mandy Thompson by three votes. Continue reading

Judge Appoints Recount Commission Members

 
 

Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall has appointed a three-member recount commission to review the votes cast in two recent General Election contests. A petition seeking a recount was filed in the fourth district council race on behalf of Republican Don White, who lost to Democrat Pamela Stalbaum by two votes in the race to succeed Marvin McLaughlin. Incumbent Railroad Township Trustee Roger Chaffins, Sr. also filed a petition for a recount after losing to Republican Mandy Thompson by three votes. Continue reading