Monroe County voters can expect crowded ballots during local primary elections in May –and maybe shorter early voting windows.
Democrats Tanner Dale Branham, Joe Davis and Tree Martin Lucas will compete for the Democratic nomination for Monroe County clerk during the primary, and the winner will face Republican Julie M. Hays in November.
Trent Deckard and David G. Henry are both running as Democrats for county commissioner District 1. No Republican opponent has filed.
For county assessor, Bob Nyquist and incumbent Judith A. Sharp will face off in the Democratic primary. No Republican opponent has filed.
Democrats Benjamin Arrington and incumbent Erika Oliphant will compete in May’s primary for the county prosecutor.
Five Democrats are competing for three Perry Township board seats. Jack Davis, Susie Hamilton, and Barbara Sturbaum are incumbents, and Jeremy Goodrich and Jenny Olmes-Stevens are challengers. No Republicans have filed.
Democrats Levi Combs, Leon Gordon and Eric Petry are running for Perry township trustee. No Republicans have filed.
For the Clear Creek Township Board, Democrats Joann Calabrese, Rachael Himsel, and Kat Reynolds will automatically advance to November’s election. Republicans Dustin Cole Dillard, R. Shannon Reed, Paul Strain and Steven E. Webb will be competing for three seats in May’s primaries.
Republicans Steven Hinds, Thelma Kelley Jeffries and Ty Mungle will compete for their party’s nomination for the Clear Creek Township Trustee. The winner will face Democrat Susan Luther in November.
Four Republicans are competing for three Richland Township board seats. Jay Thrasher and David Willibey are incumbents, and Traves Conyer and Elaine Thomsen are challengers. No Democratic opponents have filed.
With the increased number of candidates and expected increased turnout, county election supervisor Kylie Farris said that current staffing models won’t be enough to support the usual early voting hours for Monroe County voters.
“As many contested races as what we are looking at for this primary election alone, that will not work,” Farris said.
The Monroe County Elections board will hold a special meeting Thursday to decide the hourly schedule for early voting in the primary.
Then, the board is expected to ask the Monroe County Council for extra money for poll worker salaries.
