With the deadline for candidate filing fast approaching, the stage is nearly set for the May 7 local primary election. Candidates for city and town offices must file their intentions by noon tomorrow (Friday) at the county elections office.
Two Hamilton County mayors and numerous other municipal officers are thus far unopposed in the Republican primary. Democrats have only a handful of declared candidates, and none for the top jobs.
GOP mayoral candidates in Noblesville include Vincent Baker, Mike Corbett, Chris Jensen and Julia Kozicki. Current Mayor John Ditslear is not running for re-election.
It is the largest field of hopefuls for the mayor’s office in recent memory with all candidates having significant ties to the community. Jensen, who made his candidacy known months ago, is a member and former president of the city council. Kozicki, a three-term member of the school board, serves with several community organizations. Corbett, who has run twice before for mayor, is publisher of the Hamilton County Business Magazine, and Baker, new to the political scene, is a city employee serving as urban forester.
At Carmel, Mayor Jim Brainard is running for an unprecedented seventh term. He is opposed by Fred Glynn, a banker who last year won re-election to the County Council.
Mayors Andy Cook in Westfield and Scott Fadness in Fishers are unopposed, as are city clerk Evelyn Lees of Noblesville and candidate Sue Wolfgang of Carmel. Fishers city clerk Jennifer Kehl is opposed by Jackie Bowen, and Westfield city clerk Cindy Gossard is opposed by Tammy Havard.
Unopposed for city judge is Matt Cook in Noblesville and Dan Henke in Fishers, whereas Carmel city judge Brian Poindexter is opposed by Angela Swenson.
So far there is one contest on the Democratic ballot: Gary Bartunek and Jason Myers have both filed to run against current Republican Noblesville City Councilman Greg O’Connor, who represents District 5.
An updated list of all filings as of the close of business Wednesday appears in the Feb. 7 edition, as it has each day since filing began.