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It’s time to cast ballots





The time to choose leadership at all levels of government – national, state and local – is nearly here. The polls will open at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, and remain open until 6 p.m.

Voters will need to present a state or U.S. government -issued photo ID to cast a ballot at the polls.

Candidates and a brief description of duties follow:

For president and vice president of the United States, Republican party candidates are John McCain and Sarah Palin, while Democratic party candidates are Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Libertarian party candidates are Bob Barr and Wayne A. Root.

The president is the country’s chief executive and commander in chief.

Candidates for Indiana governor and lieutenant governor are: Democratic – Jill Long Thompson, Argos, and Dennie Oxley; Republican – Mitch Daniels, Indianapolis, and Becky Skillman (for re-election); Libertarian – Andy Horning, Freedom, and Lisa Kelly.

The governor is the state’s chief executive. The governor runs the administrative side of state government, can convene the legislature in special session, and can sign or veto legislation passed in the General Assembly,

Vying for Indiana Attorney General are Republican Greg Zoeller and Democrat Linda Pence, both of Indianapolis.

The attorney general’s duties include representing the state in all lawsuits the state has interest and serving as a legal adviser for state officers and departments.

Richard D. Wood, Lafayette, Democratic party, and Tony Bennett, Clarksville, Republican party, are seeking to be Indiana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. Wood is retired superintendent of the Tippecanoe School Corporation, while Bennett is superintendent of the Greater Clark County Schools.

The superintendent oversees the Indiana Department of Education.

Democrat Joe Donnelly, South Bend, is being challenged for United States Representative in Congress, 2nd Congressional District, by Republican Luke Puckett, Goshen, and Libertarian Mark Vogel, South Bend.

Serving a two year-term, a U.S. representative’s duties are to create, discuss and vote on bills and resolutions.

Incumbent Brandt Hershman, a Republican, is running unopposed for State Senator, District 7.

The state senate is a four-year term. Duties include making state laws.

For State Representative District 24, Republican Richard “Rich” Mc- Clain, Logansport, is being challenged by Democrat Timothy J. Banter Jr.

A part-time position, a state representative writes and passes laws, passes a state budget once every two years and redraws districts every ten years. This is a two-year term.

Three at-large positions are open on the County Council. Vying for a seat are Republicans Carl R. Abbott (incumbent) and Scott W. Ayres and Democrats Richard N. DePoy, Marion C. Huffer and Rolland “Dick” Roe.

The county council is the fiscal body of county government, fixing tax rates and operating budgets for all county departments, setting salaries and other compensation of county employees, impose local income taxes, and authorize the borrowing of money.

The two positions open for County Commissioner have candidates running unopposed. They are Republican Patrick F. Clawson, District 2, and Republican incumbent William R. “Bill” Brown, District 3.

The three-person board of commissioners governs the county and is responsible for maintaining county property and facilities, establishing personnel policies, authorizing and paying contracts, enforcing ordinances, supervising construction and maintenance of roads, and authorizing drainage improvements.

Democrat Mary Ann Burton is challenging Republican incumbent Barbara Ann Chapman, Flora, for County Recorder.

The county recorder preserves public records, including deeds, mortgages, liens, leases, military discharges, bankruptcy notices, and other documents.

Democrat Dale M. Snipes, is challenging Republican incumbent Wayne E. Chapman, for County Surveyor.

The surveyor’s duties include surveying and keeping records of all section corners of the county, supervising civil engineering work of the county, and preparing and maintaining maps of each county section.

Running unopposed at the county level are Republicans Jeffrey R. Smith for Judge of the Superior Court, 74th Judicial; Nancy S. Mattox for Clerk of the Circuit Court; and Jay Dee Cree for County Coroner.

The superior court judge serves a six-year term.

The county clerk, among other duties, issues marriage licenses, keeps receipts and pays out support monies in dependency cases, files, records and enters orders pertaining to civil, juvenile and criminal matters, records wills and estates, and serves as an ex-officio member of the county election board.

The coroner’s duties are to determine the manner of death in cases involving violence or casualty or when someone is found dead in unexplained circumstances. The coroner will employ a qualified physician if one is required.

All elected officials serve four-year terms unless otherwise noted.

Five judicial retention questions will be on the ballot. The first three ask whether or not to retain Justice Randall T. Shepard, Justice Theodore R. Boehm and Justice Brent E. Dickson as Justices of the Indiana Supreme Court. Shepard was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1985, Dickson in 1986, and Boehm in 1996.

The fourth question asks if Judge Carr L. Darden should be retained as Judge of the Court of Appeals, Fourth District. He was appointed to the position in 1994.

The final Judicial Retention question asks if Judge Thomas G. Fisher should be retained as Judge of Indiana Tax Court. His appointment to the tax court was in 1986.

Over 50 percent of the voters must approve retention for the judges to serve again.

Voting places

Adams Twp. – Lockport Church.

Burlington Twp. – Community Park Building.

Carrollton Twp. – Deer Creek Presbyterian Church.

Clay Twp. – Pyrmont Church of the Brethren.

Deer Creek Twp. – Precinct 1: St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. Precinct 3: Courthouse, south door. Precinct 5: Courthouse, north door.

Democrat Twp. – Cutler fire station.

Jackson Twp. – Camden Community Building.

Jefferson Twp. – Precinct 1: Oak Grove Church. Precinct 2: Yeoman United Methodist Church.

Liberty Twp. – Fire station.

Madison Twp. – Radnor Christian Center (United Methodist Church).

Monroe Twp. – Precinct 1: 4-H Community Building east door. Precinct 2: 4-H Community Building south door.

Rock Creek Twp. – Rockfield Community Building.

Tippecanoe Twp. – Precincts 1 & 2: Delphi 1st Assembly of God.

Washington Twp. – Deer Creek Community Center.

How to mark a ballot

To vote for a candidate, complete the arrow at the right of that candidate’s name. If a mistake is made, return the ballot to the election official and obtain another. Do not try to erase any marks made in error.

To vote a straight party ballot for all the candidates of the same party, complete the arrow for that party in the straight party section at the beginning of the ballot. By voting in this manner, every candidate of that party receives your vote. After marking a straight party ticket, proceed to the back of the ballot to the Judicial Retention questions and vote as desired.

There are two ways to vote a split ticket. The first is to vote a straight party ticket by marking one of the party choices and then voting for individual candidates in any other party. The second is to vote for individual candidates in each office.

To vote for a write-in candidate, write the name of the candidate on the line provided and complete the arrow. A write-in vote will not be counted unless the vote is for a declared writein candidate.

The last section on the ballot will be five questions regarding judicial retention.


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