Early voting began Tuesday morning at the Jackson County Courthouse in Brownstown and will run through noon the day before the May 8 primary election.
Voters will be electing the Republican nominee for Jackson County sheriff from a field of four candidates: Bill Abbott of Seymour, Rick Meyer of Seymour, Phil Nale of Brownstown and Charlie Murphy of Seymour. The winner of that contest will face Democrat Jeff Walters of Seymour in the Nov. 6 general election.
They also will pick the GOP candidate for the District 3 county commissioner’s seat in a race that pits incumbent Matt Reedy of Freetown against newcomer Roger Bane of Medora. Reedy is finishing up his second four-year term serving the district that includes Carr, Owen, Salt Creek and Pershing townships. All GOP voters will select the nominee.
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There also are Democratic and Republican primary races for the District 2 county council seat, which is presently held by Republican Leon Pottschmidt of Seymour.
The district includes all of Driftwood, Grassy Fork, Vernon and Washington townships and Jackson 3 South and Jackson 4 South precincts.
The Democratic primary in that race features Lenvel “Butch” Robinson of Crothersville and Barry Stuckwisch of Seymour, while Mark Hackman and Mark Pardieck, both of Seymour, will vie for the Republican party’s nomination.
There also are two other local races that will appear on the Republican ballot.
The first features six-term incumbent Jackson Township Trustee Bill Marsh against Linda Auleman of Seymour, who is wrapping up her second term as county recorder. The recorder is limited by the state constitution to two terms.
The other race is for Owen Township trustee, and voters will choose between Frank Fisher of Norman and Karen Branaman Wagoner of Medora.
Early voting will take place from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through May 4 at the courthouse, 111 S. Main St., Brownstown.
Early voting at absentee polling site at Jackson Superior Court I at 1420 Corporate Way on the west side of Seymour will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday from April 23 through May 4.
Both courthouses will be open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. April 28 and May 5, while early voting will end at both sites at noon May 7.
Voters will need to bring a license or state-issued identification card.
By mid-morning Tuesday, poll workers at the courthouse had processed 12 ballots.
Jeremy Braunstein of Seymour said he took advantage of early voting when he made a visit to the courthouse and saw the voting stations set up.
“I didn’t realize it was the first day, and I was upstairs and decided to do my civic duty and vote,” he said after casting his ballot.
Braunstein said he appreciates being able to vote early because he has a busy schedule and it is easier to ensure he has time to vote.
“I get ahead of the rush, especially when there’s a number of people running,” he said “I’m busy quite often, and this fits right into my schedule.”
The voter registration office also was busy processing the last of the voter registration forms following Monday’s deadline.
Voter registration clerk Deseree Haurez said the office received more than 60 registrations Monday.
“It seems online registration is up,” she said.
Haurez said she was receiving between 20 and 30 registrations per day leading up to the deadline.
Jackson County Clerk Amanda Lowery said the office has processed 807 new voter registrations since November 2016, which has brought the total number of registered voters in Jackson County to 27,660 with 165 still pending.
Also on May 8, Democrats will pick the party’s nominee for Indiana’s Ninth Congressional District between Dan Canon of New Albany and Rob Chatlos and Liz Watson, both of Bloomington. The winner of that race will face incumbent Republican Trey Hollingsworth of Jeffersonville, who is wrapping up his first two-year term. Hollingsworth is being challenged by James Dean Alspach of Morgantown.
Republican voters also will see races for two of the county’s state House races on the ballot.
A three-way race for House District 69 will see incumbent Jim Lucas of Seymour — first elected in 2012 — squaring off against Nancy Franke, also of Seymour, and Columbus’ Charles Johnson. Franke is a familiar opponent for Lucas, as she challenged him in the 2016 primary. Her efforts came up short with Lucas winning 60.5 percent of the vote.
The winner of that race will face Elizabethtown Democrat Steve Schoettmer in the fall.
House District 73 also will see a primary challenge, as incumbent Steve Davisson, a Salem Republican who was elected in 2010, will face off against Buford L. Dewitt of Paoli.
The GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate race is up for grabs between Sixth District Congressman Luke Messer, Fourth District Congressman Todd Rokita and Mike Braun, a former state representative and Jasper businessman. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly, who is seeking a second term after being elected in 2012.
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Early voting in Jackson County
Jackson County Courthouse, 111 S. Main St., Brownstown
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today through May 4
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 28 and May 5
8 a.m to noon May 7
Jackson Superior Court I, 1420 Corporate Way, Seymour
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 23 through May 4
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 28 and May 5
8 a.m. to noon May 7
What you’ll need: A license or state-issued identification
What you won’t need: Campaign materials, including shirts and clothing, hats, buttons, pens and other materials. Items must be concealed or left outside the polling site.
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