State, County Election 2002

GOP unopposed for many county

elected positions

Republicans will sweep the general election again this year at the county level as there is no Democrat or Libertarian opposition.

Republicans running unopposed are:

• Superior Court 1 Judge Duane G. Huffer, Warsaw.

• Superior Court 2 Judge James C. Jarrette, Warsaw.

• Superior Court 3 Judge Joe V. Sutton, Warsaw.

• Prosecuting Attorney R. Steven Hearn, Leesburg.

• County auditor Sue Ann Mitchell, Warsaw.

• County recorder LaShawn Brumfield, Warsaw.

• County sheriff C. Aaron Rovenstine, Warsaw.

• County assessor Laurie A. Renier, Warsaw.

• County commissioner, southern district, Avis B. Gunter, Claypool.

• County council, District 1, Charlene A. Knispel, Syracuse.

• County council, District 2, Harold D. Jones, Leesburg.

• County council, District 3, Bradley J. Tandy, Warsaw.

• County council, District 4, John A. Kinsey, Warsaw.

The general election will be held Nov. 5 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Trustee offices feature 2 party races

While only Republicans are running for office at the county level, both Democrats and Republicans can be found at the township trustee and township board levels.

However, all assessor candidates are Republicans, and include:

• Tippecanoe Township assessor, Dorothy Biesemeyer, North Webster.

• Turkey Creek Township assessor, Patty Gammiere, Syracuse.

• Plain Township assessor, R. Jean Lynch, Leesburg.

• Wayne Township assessor, Kristy Mayer, Warsaw.

Trustee races include:

• Jackson Township, Donald Slater, Claypool, Republican.

• Monroe Township, Sandy L. Fiedeke, Pierceton, Republican.

• Washington Township, Dean E. Rhoades, Pierceton, Republican; Claud L. Stahl Jr., Pierceton, Democrat.

• Tippecanoe Township, Alyssa J. Schmucker, North Webster, Republican; David L. "Buck" Burns, Leesburg, Democrat.

• Turkey Creek Township, Barbara A. Griffith, Syracuse, Republican.

• Van Buren Township, Patrice Hurd, Leesburg, Republican.

• Plain Township, Jerry Kammerer, Leesburg, Republican; Jan Carter, Leesburg, Democrat.

• Wayne Township, Daniel B. Sloan Sr., Warsaw, Republican; Pam Cartwright, Warsaw, Democrat.

• Clay Township, Benjamin L. McKrill, Warsaw, Republican.

• Lake Township, Molly Bradford, Silver Lake, Republican.

• Seward Township, Aime Hoffman, Claypool, Democrat.

• Franklin Township, Randy "Mark" Vanlaningham, Rochester, Republican; Trillia Gearhart, Akron, Democrat.

• Harrison Township, James R. Moyer, Atwood, Republican.

• Prairie Township, Julia A. Goon, Warsaw, Republican.

• Jefferson Township, Terry Zimmerman, Milford, Republican; Beth Krull, Milford, Democrat.

• Scott Township, Fred A. Slabaugh, Nappanee, Democrat.

• Etna Township, Gary L. Sponseller, Etna Green, Republican.

Township board candidates are:

• Jackson Township, Ray Fisher, Pierceton, Republican; Fred T. Kinch, Claypool, Republican; Joyce M. Sherwin, Claypool, Republican.

• Monroe Township, Donald L. Ellison, Warsaw, Republican.

• Washington Township, John B. Camden II, Pierceton, Republican; James A. Craig, Pierceton, Republican; Tony L. Huff, Pierceton, Democrat; Orval Taylor, Pierceton, Democrat.

• Tippecanoe Township, Danny Conkling, North Webster, Republican; James Rhodes, Pierceton, Republican; Arlus J. Schaefer, Warsaw, Republican; Richard D. Mitchell, Warsaw, Democrat; Charles "Dick" Shock, Pierceton, Democrat.

• Turkey Creek Township, Arlen Bobeck, Syracuse, Republican; Carl Myrick, Syracuse, Republican; Richard K. Waterson, Syracuse, Republican.

• Van Buren Township, Harry D. Doty, Milford, Republican; Stanley J. Wutrich, Syracuse, Republican; William Troup, Milford, Democrat.

• Plain Township, Robert W. Bishop, Leesburg, Republican; Craig Charlton, Leesburg, Republican; Dan Gast, Warsaw, Republican; Jon R. Custer, Leesburg, Democrat.

• Wayne Township, Jane A. Edmond, Warsaw, Republican; Michael W. Reed, Warsaw, Republican; Brenda Sanders, Warsaw, Republican.

• Clay Township, Jerry W. Johnson, Claypool, Republican; Donald L. Morris, Claypool, Republican; Dan Ransbottom, Claypool, Republican.

• Lake Township, Duane C. Sells, Silver Lake, Republican; Wayne Spratt, Silver Lake, Republican; Frances G. Head, Silver Lake, Democrat; Lon Wadkins Sr., Silver Lake, Democrat; Robert "Bob" Zimmer, Silver Lake, Democrat.

• Seward Township, Kevin N. Hohman, Silver Lake, Republican; Roland McFadden, Claypool, Republican; Jason F. McSherry, Claypool, Republican.

• Franklin Township, Theresa Alber, Claypool, Republican; Paul Haist, Mentone, Republican; William A. Leininger, Akron, Republican.

• Harrison Township, Joseph C. Good, Mentone, Republican; Richard S. Jordan, Warsaw, Republican; Gerald Weirick, Warsaw, Republican.

• Prairie Township, Gordon R. Drake, Warsaw, Republican; Marjorie E. Himes, Warsaw, Republican; Raymond Truex, Warsaw, Democrat.

• Jefferson Township, Dee Ann Beer, Nappanee, Republican; John P. Beer, Milford, Republican; Robert L. Riley, Nappanee, Republican.

• Scott Township, Buell A. Hoffer, Nappanee, Republican; Thomas A. "Tom" Besson, Nappanee, Democrat; Merlin E. Yoder, Nappanee, Democrat.

• Etna Township, David L. Mast, Etna Green, Republican; Joe R. Mooney, Etna Green, Republican; Myron Vining, Etna Green, Republican.

Dillon, Ruppel seats assured

Only two state races are uncontested for the Nov. 5 general election.

Both Gary Dillon, state senator, 17th District, Columbia City, Republican, and William J. "Bill" Ruppel, state representative 22nd District, North Manchester, Republican, are shoe-ins with no opposition.

There are three candidates each for secretary of state, auditor of state and treasurer of state, and three for U.S. representative Third Congressional District.

Secretary candidates are Todd Rokita, Indianapolis, Republican; John Fernandez, Bloomington, Democrat; and Rebecca Sink-Burris, Bloomington, Libertarian.

Auditor candidates are Connie K. Nass, Huntingburg, Republican; Barbara Huston, LaPorte, Democrat; and Bruce A. Parisi, Gary, Libertarian.

Treasurer candidates are Tim Berry, Indianapolis, Republican; Day Smith, Columbia City, Democrat; and Sam Goldstein, Indianapolis, Libertarian.

The three men running for U.S. representative are Republican Mark E. Souder, Fort Wayne; Democrat Jay Rigdon, North Webster; and Libertarian Mike Donlan, Fort Wayne.

For the state representative 18th District, Republican David A. Wolkins, Winona Lake, is up against Libertarian Daniel M. Stevens, Warsaw. For the 23rd District, William C. Friend, Republican, Macy, is up against Scott Benson, Libertarian, Peru.

There are also four questions at the state level regarding courts. Those questions are:

• Shall Justice Robert D. Rucker (Indiana Supreme Court State) be retained in office?

• Shall Judge Micheal P. Barnes (Indiana Court of Appeals District 3) be retained in office?

• Shall Judge Paul D. Mathias (Indiana Court of Appeals District 3) be retained in office?

• Shall Judge Nancy H. Vaidik (Indiana Court of Appeals District 5) be retained in office?