Clarification: Only races to be decided this May will be in Jasonville, but all should vote
The Greene County primary elections, happening May 2, 2023, will decide which candidates will run in the general election this November. In nearly all of these races, the candidates are already decided, due to party affiliation or uncontested status.
The current full slate, presented in Friday’s paper, included all candidate filings for all open seats and may have given the impression all races would be voted on in May.
For example, the office of Linton Mayor is currently uncontested in the May primary, with one Democrat, Brent Murray, and one Republican candidate, John Preble, having filed their intent to run for the office. Since primary elections merely narrow the field to one candidate from each party, that race is already set and will be voted on in the general election in November.
The only elections to be included and decided on May 2 will be for the Republican candidate for Jasonville Mayor either current mayor Larry Watters Sr.(R) or Republican challenger Eric Siepman and for the Republican candidate for Jasonville City Council, Ward 4. For this position, the candidates are Ricci Dicus and Kathy May.
The Bloomfield municipality is a town and not a city. Therefore, a town convention will be held to determine which Republican candidate, Jo Ann Carmichael or Dave Harding, will run against a Democratic opponent for the Ward 3 town council seat. The date of that convention has yet to be set.
It is, however, important for all voters to turn out and vote on election day. Voting is our right, and every voter should exercise that right.