On the first day for candidates to officially file for the 2019 municipal election, there was only one person waiting to submit his paperwork when the Bartholomew County Courthouse opened at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
It was District 1 incumbent Republican Dascal Bunch, who represents Columbus’ east side.
It was about 15 minutes later that the next two candidates — Republican incumbents Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Clerk-Treasurer Luann Welmer — arrived to file for re-election seeking a second term, county elections supervisor Shari Lentz said.
During larger county and presidential elections, there has been a light-hearted competition among local candidates to see who can be the first to file on the first day.
But Lentz says that type of activity has been less likely to occur during the municipal elections.
Two more candidates filed during the morning hours on Wednesday. Republican incumbent District 4 councilman Frank Miller, who has just completed two consecutive years as council president, filed at 10 a.m.
About 40-minutes later, the first non-incumbent candidate filed his candidacy. Republican Josh Burnett, owner of JAB Media Group and communications director at The Ridge church, is running for one of the at-large seats currently held by Democrat Tom Dell and Republican Laurie Booher.
It was five hours later that Republican Tim Shuffett filed his paperwork that will allow him to seek a third consecutive term as the District 5 councilman.
All seven seats on the city council are on the ballot. Besides the two at-large seats, five represent different districts within the city.
Feb. 8 will be the last day for a Republican or Democrat to file a declaration of candidacy to run in the primary.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Key dates: 2019 election” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Feb 8 – deadline for a major political party candidate to file a declaration of candidacy for the primary. Candidates have until Feb. 11 to withdrawal their names if they change their minds.
April 8 – Deadline for a voter to register or transfer registration.
April 9 – First day a voter may cast an absentee ballot for the primary. These votes will continue to be cast through noon, May 6.
May 7 – Primary
May 21 – Voter registration for the November election begins, and will continue through Oct. 7.
June 30 – Deadline for major parties to fill vacancies on the ballot, and for the Libertarian Party to nominate candidates.
July 15 – Deadline for any candidate to withdrawal from the municipal election ballot.
Oct. 8 – First day a voter may cast an absentee ballot for the general election. These votes will continue to be cast through noon, Nov. 4.
Nov. 5 – Municipal election day
[sc:pullout-text-end]
