Low voter turnout everywhere was the story of yesterday’s municipal primary election. In Washington, just one race was for the Republicans in City Council District One, where incumbent Darin Lunsford was challenged by Scott Rainey. With an 8 percent turnout, 147 votes out of 1665 registered voters, Lunsford gets the win, defeating Rainey with 95 votes to Rainey’s 52.
Moving to Loogootee, a 26 percent voter turnout was recorded with 434 ballots cast in two Democratic races yesterday. For mayor, incumbent Noel Harty was challenged by Teresa Nolley, a member of the City Council. Harty gets the win with 312 votes; Nolley received 231. For City Council at Large in Loogootee, Ron Gilbert edged out J.D. Flynn by 30 votes on the Democrat ticket, winning 272 to 242.
In Vincennes, it looks like Jack Boger and Joe Yochum will face off for the mayoral seat in the general election this November. According to the Knox County Clerk’s Office, Boger won the Republican race with over 61% of the vote, beating Tim Salters, who received almost 39% (651 votes to 414). Meanwhile, incumbent Mayor Joe Yochum easily defeated challenger Michael Devine with nearly 90% of the vote in the Democratic mayoral race. The vote count was 557 to 63. The voter turnout was around 18 percent.
In Dubois County, James J. Hopf will represent the Republican Party as the mayoral candidate in the municipal election this fall. He garnered 422 votes to Mayor Steve Schwinghamer’s 361 votes.
