Bartholomew County voters will be taking to the polls in just over a week to choose candidates in the primary election.

Most of the contested elections are on the Republican ticket. Three candidates are vying for the District 1 seat on the Bartholomew County Commissioners on the Republican side including long-time incumbent Larry Kleinhenz, landlord and former appointee to the city’s redevelopment commission and board of public works and safety Susan Thayer-Fye and Jorge Morales, who is retired from Cummins and now serves on the County Council.

We asked the candidates:

• Last year’s budget was extremely tight and the commissioners gave up control over a large chunk of tax money that has been going to road repairs. How should the County Commissioners address ongoing road maintenance?

Kleinhenz said that the commissioners have been applying much of the county’s share of Economic Development Income Tax funds toward the road. But this year, that money went to the County Council to help balance the county’s budget. His complete answer:

04-xx Larry Kleinhenz Question 2 FULL

Thayer-Fye said that a cash infusion from the state will help in the short-term but she would look for other savings in the county budget, through more effectively using space. Her complete answer:

04-xx Susan Thayer-Fye Question 2 FULL

Morales said that unexpected expenses, including 3.8 million in health care expenses, caused the council to dip into the Economic Development Income Taxes this year, which are normally used for road repairs. His complete answer

04-xx Jorge Morales Question 2 FULL

You can vote early at the Bartholomew County Courthouse during normal weekday hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. That will end on Monday, May 2nd at noon.

Three satellite voting locations will be opening closer to election day. Those will be at Donner Center, Main Source Bank on Jonathan Moore Pike and Flintwood Wesleyan Church. You can vote at those locations April 25th through the 29th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 30th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, you can go the Bartholomew County Voter Registration office website.

Bartholomew County Republican ballot candidates:
U.S. SENATOR — MARLIN A. STUTZMAN and TODD YOUNG
GOVERNOR — MICHAEL R. PENCE
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 6 — CHARLES (CHUCK) JOHNSON JR., LUKE MESSER, JEFF SMITH
STATE REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 059 — RYAN LAUER, MILO SMITH, LEW WILSON
JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT – BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY — SCOTT ANDREWS, KELLY S. BENJAMIN
COUNTY CORONER — CLAYTON R. NOLTING, RONALD W. SHADLEY, SR.
COUNTY SURVEYOR — E. R. GRAY
COUNTY COMMISSIONER – DISTRICT #3 — RICK FLOHR
COUNTY COMMISSIONER- DISTRICT #1 — SUSAN THAYER FYE, LARRY S. KLEINHENZ, JORGE R. (GEORGE) MORALES
COUNTY COUNCIL- AT LARGE — WILLIAM F. (BILL) LENTZ, MICHAEL LOVELACE, MATT MILLER, EVELYN STRIETELMEIER PENCE, JAMES (JIM) REED

Bartholomew County Democratic ballot candidates:
U.S. SENATOR — BARON HILL
GOVERNOR — JOHN R. GREGG
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 6 — DANNY BASHAM, GEORGE THOMAS HOLLAND, BRUCE W. PEAVLER, RALPH SPELBRING, BARRY WELSH
STATE REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 059 — DALE NOWLIN, ROBERT M. (BOB) PITMAN
COUNTY CORONER — PAULA K. ROTHROCK
COUNTY COMMISSIONER – DISTRICT #3 — BRAD WOODCOCK
COUNTY COUNCIL- AT LARGE — GABRIELLE (GABY) CHEEK, PAM CLARK, LYNNE L. FLEMING