BEDFORD – Wednesday was the first day for candidates to file for an elected office in Lawrence County.
Statewide election dates
May 7, 2024: Primary
November 5, 2024: General election
The deadline to file is Friday, February 9, at noon.
Here is a listing of candidates:
County Council Race
- Julie Blackwell Chase, Republican, – At Large
- David Holmes – Republican – At Large
- Scott Smith, Republican – At Large
- Rick Butterfield, Republican – At Large
- Brian Skillman, Republican – At Large
County Commissioner Race
- Dustin Gabhart, Republican – District 2
- Jeff McKnight, Republican – District 2
- Wallace Branham, Republican – District 3
County Auditor
- Paula Stewart, Republican
- Martha Arnold Turner, Republican
County Clerk
- Amy Voorhies, Republican
County Treasurer
- Penny Cobb, Republican
County Coroner
- Elizabeth Freeman Cammack
County Recorder
- Jessica L. Allen, Republican
County Surveyor
- Corey Allen, Republican
Precinct Committee
- Paula Stewart, Republican, Bono Township
- Scott Smith, Republican, Indian Creek South
- Dustin Gabhart, Republican, Marion 6
- Chase Cummings, Republican, Marshall 1
- Christopher Noel, Republican, Marshall 1
- Travis Sanders, Republican, Shawswick 14B
- Jeff Lytton, Republican, Shawswick 5A
- Jeff Mcknight, Republican, Shawswick 5B
- Andrew J. Rusch, Republican, Shawswick 8
- Brian Skillman, Republican, Shawswick 11
- Kenneth Hodges, Republican, Shawswick Township 13
- Rick Butterfield, Republican, Shawswick 16
State Convention Delegates Race
- Chase Cummings, Republican
- Travis Sanders, Republican
- Andrew J. Rusch, Republican
- Sam Bond, Republican
- Brad Bough, Republican
- Scott Smith, Republican
- Julie Blackwell Chase, Republican
- Jeff Mcknight, Republican
- Patrick Redman, Republican
- Janie Craig Chenault, Republican
How do primaries work in Indiana?
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party’s candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place before a general election. Indiana utilizes an open primary system.
Voters are not required to register with a party, but state statutes stipulate that citizens vote in the primary of the party they have voted for most often in the past. According to FairVote, however, “there is no way to enforce this,” and primaries are effectively open.
How do I register to vote?
To register to vote in Indiana, an individual must be a U.S. citizen who has resided in the precinct in which the individual will be voting for at least 30 days preceding the next election. The individual must be at least 18 years old by the time of the next general or municipal election. Proof of residence is required to register.[ Registration can be completed online, by mail, or in person.[ The deadline to register to vote is 29 days before the next election.
Prospective voters can register in person at the following locations:
- A Bureau of Motor Vehicles (“BMV”) license branch while applying for or renewing a driver’s license, permit, or identification card
- A public assistance office while applying for services
- Certain agencies serving persons with disabilities while applying for assistance
- Armed forces recruitment agencies
- County voter registration offices and the Indiana Election Division
- Unemployment compensation offices while applying for services
