The 2020 primary is just around the corner, with party nominations for elected offices from Bartholomew County to the White House up for grabs this year.
Candidates for a range of local, state and federal offices can start filing their paperwork Wednesday to be on Indiana’s May 5 primary ballot. The filing period for the primary ends Feb. 7 at noon.
Typically, several local candidates officially throw their hat in the ring on the first day of the filing period, said Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps.
“I suspect that there will be several candidates that put their name on the ballot on the first day,” Phelps said. “It’s usually the incumbents who show up the first day.”
Among the local offices that are up for election this year include three Bartholomew County council at-large seats, Bartholomew County commissioner seats for Districts 1 and 3, Bartholomew County Superior Court 2 judge, as well as county coroner and county surveyor.
The county council at-large seats are currently held by Republicans Evelyn Pence, Matt Miller and Bill Lentz. The District 1 commissioner seat is currently held by Republican Larry Kleinhenz, and the District 3 seat is held by Republican Rick Flohr.
Additionally, there will be a new Bartholomew County Superior Court 2 judge after incumbent Judge Kathleen “Kitty” Tighe Coriden announced last year that she will not seek re-election and retire.
So far, at least four Republican candidates — former Columbus Police Chief Jon Rohde, attorney Scott Andrews, attorney Dominique Glover and Bartholomew County Superior Court Magistrate Joe Meek — have said they intend to run for the open judge seat.
“It will probably will be another record-breaking primary,” Phelps said. “Locally, with four candidates having announced their intention for running for Superior Court 2, I think that will bring a lot of folks out to vote.”
At the state level, candidates running for governor also can start filing their paperwork on Wednesday, but need to collect at least 500 signatures in each of Indiana’s nine congressional districts to get their name on the ballot, Phelps said.
In July, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced he would seek re-election, according to wire reports. Candidates for governor have until Feb. 4 at noon to submit the required signatures, Phelps said.
Also at the state level, seats currently held by state representatives Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus; Jim Lucas, R-Seymour; Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville; and Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, will be up for election.
On the national level, Bartholomew County voters will head to the polls to decide who will represent Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District in Washington, D.C.. The seat is currently held by Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, who is completing his first term.
Another race that will likely draw significant turnout is the Democratic presidential primary, Phelps said. Presidential candidates have similar requirements for getting on Indiana’s ballot as candidates for governor.
“If a presidential candidate wants to make the ballot in Indiana, they have to have 500 signatures per congressional district,” Phelps said. “For a presidential candidate, they would have to have 4,500 signatures statewide to get on the ballot.”
Canvassers for former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, who dropped out of the race last month, and current candidate and mayor of South Bend, Pete Buttigieg, have collected signatures in downtown Columbus, Phelps said.
Currently, President Donald Trump is running unopposed in the GOP primary.
Phelps said he and his staff are “ready” and “excited” for the 2020 elections.
“I certainly imagine we will break some records as far as turnout because the anticipation is high on both sides,” Phelps said.
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The following are elected offices that will appear on primary ballots in May in Bartholomew County, depending on voting precinct:
Local offices:
- Three Bartholomew County council at-large seats
- Bartholomew county commissioner Districts 1 and 3
- Bartholomew County surveyor
- Bartholomew County coroner
- Bartholomew County Superior Court 2 judge
State offices:
- Governor
- Indiana House of Representatives Districts 57, 59 and 69
- Indiana Senate District 44
Federal offices:
- President of the United States
- Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District
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Voter registration will continue through April 6. Call 812-379-1604 or visit bartholomew.in.gov/clerk.html for more information about how to register to vote.
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