Primary set for Washington

Feb. 6—Washington will have primary elections this May. Friday was the deadline for candidates to file as Democrats or Republicans in the upcoming municipal election

In Washington, there will be a contested race on the Republican ballot for district 1 city councilman between incumbent Darin Lunsford and challenger Scott Rainey.

"The only competition we have is on the Republican ticket and is council district one between Darin Lunsford and Scott Rainey," said Daviess County Clerk Lauren Milton. "We will have a primary. I am talking with Indianapolis about the possibility of only holding the primary in that district."

The Republicans added a candidate for mayor at the last minute when Jerry Sidebottom filed. He will be unopposed in the primary.

Also unopposed in the Republican primary will be incumbents Mary Beth McGookey for clerk-treasurer, David Dahl and Ken Showalter for council at-large, Allen Brown in District 2, Tom Gress in District 4, and Randy Emmons in District 5.

On the Democrat side incumbent Mayor Dave Rhoads and District 4 Councilman Doug Campton are unopposed in the primary.

People needing to register to vote can do so through April 3. Early voting will begin April 4 and run through May 1.

Milton says in Daviess County she is looking to establish the county's first vote center for the primary.

"We are now moving to vote centers," she said. "We will not have a lot of voting sites in Washington with only one district being contested, so we are going to see how we work that out."

While the Democrat and Republican candidates are set for the primary in the city elections there is still time for candidates to file as independents in the town board elections. That deadline is June 30. So far, the only person to have filed for a town board seat is independent Lee Coffman who is looking to continue on the Plainville Town Board.