Dates, times and locations for the Republican conventions for the towns of Claypool and Pierceton were announced Tuesday afternoon.
Claypool Chairman Randy Martz selected 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Claypool Lions Building for Claypool’s convention.
The Pierceton town convention will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 17, as selected by Chairman Georgia Tenney. It will be held at the Pierceton Community Room.
Both events will be public, but priority for seating will be given to voters, according to information provided by Kosciusko County Republican Party Secretary Austin Rovenstine.
Democratic Party Chair Vicki Morton said Sunday that she was confirming details for the Sidney town convention, but the tentative date is at 1 p.m. Aug. 19.
If there is a contested race within a party for a town, the political party with the contested race has to hold a convention to make a selection from those candidates. Following the conventions, if there is a contested race between the parties, the town will have an election on Nov. 7. Some towns won’t have an election at all because there is only one candidate for each open seat.
During the Republican convention, each candidate will be allowed to speak to the voters on why they should be elected before a secret ballot takes place. To win, a candidate must get a majority of the votes, just like a caucus.
If there happens to be a tie, the town chairman also has the authority to cast a tie-breaking vote. The town chairman may alternatively call for another round of balloting. If there happens to be a plurality, the person with the least amount of votes is removed from the candidates and a run-off is held between the remaining candidates. A candidate must receive 51% of the votes to win.
For Claypool, the Republicans filing for the town council include Benny R. Stage Jr., North district; Eugene Warner, South; and Nate Morton, Center. The Libertarian who filed for town council is Paul Mullins, North, while the Democrats who filed were Elizabeth Heiman, Center, and Dave Morgan, South.
A Republican town convention is necessary in Claypool because two Republicans filed for town clerk. They are Nicole Miller and Miranda N. Stage. Whoever wins that race will face off against Libertarian Patricia Warner on Nov. 7.
There are four Democrats seeking a seat on the Sidney town council, which is why a Democratic town convention is required. Those hoping to fill one of the three positions on the board are Brandon Allen, Jackie Leroy Wolfe, Rebecca Adams and Gavin Parrett. Winners will face Republican Sharon Rancourt in the Nov. 7 town election.
Town clerk and Republican Lisa Parrett is unopposed.
There will be a Republican town convention for Pierceton, but no election in the fall because six Republicans are seeking seats on the three-member town council and two Republicans are seeking the clerk-treasurer position. No Libertarians or Democrats filed.
Seeking the council’s seats are Gordon Baker, Chauncey Smith, Glenn E. Hall, Steven Eric Trump, Greg Chism and Matthew Brubaker. Hoping to fill the clerk’s position are Myra Mast and Jerry F. Kreger.