Filing deadline approaches for towns

Wayne County voters’ general election ballot is nearly set. 

Here’s what we know now: 

• Hagerstown and Dublin residents have about two weeks to file to run for town positions before their noon Aug. 1 deadline. 
• Candidates who face opposition this fall have just a little more than three months to campaign until the Nov. 5 election.
• Northeastern, Western Wayne and Nettle Creek have contested nonpartisan school board races. 

However, Wayne County voters likely will see fewer yard signs this summer for local races than they did in the spring. 

That’s because no Democrats or Libertarians filed to run against Wayne County’s Republican candidates for judge, commissioner, clerk of courts, treasurer and coroner who advanced from May’s primary election before the recent deadline.  

Here’s an update on who’s running this fall in Wayne County. 

School board races

All five of Wayne County’s public school districts have candidates on the ballot, but some candidates are unopposed.

Here’s a look at who filed for the nonpartisan school board races.  

Northeastern

The Knights have one contested and two uncontested races this fall (corrected from an earlier article).  

• Contested: Patrick Barker and Angela “Angie” G. Smith, who aren’t currently on the board, both filed for District B. Keith Webster didn’t file for re-election. 
• Uncontested: Dan VanDuyne (District C); Shawntel Baker (District D). 

Western Wayne 

• Contested: Jenni Risch and Todd A. Patterson filed for the at-large District D seat. Neither is currently on the board.   
• Uncontested: Kris Bex (District B); David Sturgis (District A).

Nettle Creek 

• Contested race: Candace M. Tramel and Julie Blaase both want to serve District A. Blaase currently serves as an at-large member, while Tramel isn’t on the board. 
• Uncontested: Mike Banning (District C); Ruthie LaMar and Sandra Schraub (at-large).  

Richmond

• Uncontested: Cathy Hillard and Aaron Stevens (at-large); Nicole Stults (District 1); Austin Brann (District 2). 

Centerville-Abington

• Uncontested: Andy Wandersee, Renee Westover and Todd Duke (Districts A, C and D).  

Town races

Hagerstown and Dublin residents wanting to serve their town must file candidacy forms by noon Aug. 1 at Wayne County’s voter registration office inside the courthouse, 301 E. Main St., Richmond. 

If more candidates from one party file for a particular race than the number of available seats, nominating conventions will be conducted by Aug. 21 to narrow the field.  

In Hagerstown, six candidates have filed for town offices. 

Four Republicans have filed for three at-large seats on council. They are Chris W. Blaase, Allan Bullock, Bradley Robert Clark and Dillon Pitcher. 

Incumbent Julie Neal, a Republican, seeks reelection as clerk-treasurer.  

Hagerstown voters also choose a judge of the town court. Incumbent Susan Bell, a Libertarian, has filed. 

Meanwhile, Dublin has three town council seats on the 2024 ballot. The seats have been known as Districts 3, 4 and 5, but each candidate will run at-large this year.  

Incumbents Nathan Ulerick, Brietta Pitcock and Dan Wicker have filed to run again. 

Voter registration

Prospective voters need to register or update their address or any other outdated information by Oct. 7 at the courthouse. Applications also are available at indianavoters.in.gov.