Southeastern IN — Although the ballots in area counties were light on contested races, there were those that generated interest and higher than normal voter turnout for a midterm election on Tuesday.
Republican challenger Bill Meyerrose avenged his narrow defeat four years ago when he unseated Incumbent Dave Durant in the Decatur County Sheriff’s race by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin. It was one of the closest-watched races heading into the election.
Also in Decatur County, Bev Rivera knocked off Christopher Ramey 79 percent to 21 percent in the Washington Township Trustees race.
Kenny Hooten wins another term as Decatur County Council District 1 member; Ken Ewing, Bethany Fellows, and Bradley Scheidler will serve on the Adams Township Board; former two-term Sheriff Greg Allen, along with Raymond Robbins and Dennis Cox were elected to the Sandcreek Township Board; Randy Hoeing, James Stewart and Angie Morrow will serve on the Washington Township Board, and Brandon Jones and Mike Clark won the two at-large seats on St. Paul Town Council.
The race for Indiana House District 73, of which a portion is in Decatur County after redistricting, was also on the ballot Tuesday. Republican Jennifer Meltzer won that race over former Decatur County Democratic Party Chair Mimi Pruett.
Forty-two percent of registered voters cast ballots in Decatur County.
Franklin County had a 44-percent voter turnout for the General Election.
Voter interest was driven by the Franklin County School Board at-large race, which featured nine candidates vying for three seats. The winners were incumbent Beth Foster, along with Kevin Kaiser and Brandy Wilson.
Also drawing interest was the County Council District 4 race, in which Republican challenger Bob Evans unseated Democrat incumbent Joe Gillespie Jr., 63 percent to 37 percent.
Voters in the Town of Brookville overwhelmingly defeated a public question that would have increased the number of seats on town council from five to seven.
In other Franklin County races, Irv Vonderheide will serve as Brookville Township Trustee; Tonja French wins the Laurel Township Trustee race; Tim Hollars will serve as the Posey Township Trustee; and Jeffrey Dorrel, Ervin Roberts, and Cecil Bruns were elected to the Springfield Township Board.
State Senator Jeff Raatz was also on the ballot in Franklin County on Tuesday. He won re-election in Senate District 27.
In Ripley County, the winners were Vicki Taylor in the Shelby Township Trustee race; Sarah Bauman unseats incumbent Versailles Clerk-Treasurer Kiersten Libby; the top vote-getters in the Jackson Township Board race were Jane Ann Van Kirk, Judy Mulford, and Denise Schmaltz. and the South Ripley School Board race winners were Kimberly Sue Jolly, Brittany Bradley, Andy Comer, and Thomas Welch.
Voter turnout was also high for a midterm election in Ripley County, with 39 percent of registered voters casting ballots.
In addition, Joseph Bulach topped incumbent and board president Michael Norman in the Sunman-Dearborn School Board race. That race was voted on by residents of both Ripley and Dearborn counties.
As for statewide offices, Diego Morales is the new Indiana Secretary of State; Tera Klutz wins another term as State Auditor, and Daniel Elliott completes the Republican sweep by winning the Treasurer’s race.
Republican incumbent Todd Young wins another term as US Senator.
The newly redrawn 9th Congressional District, which covers all of Southeastern Indiana, will be represented on Capitol Hill by Republican and former State Senator Eric Houchin.
