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Huntington County voters to find several unopposed candidates on primary ballots

Graphic by Cindy Klepper.

Huntington County voters will find several unopposed candidates on both the Democrat and Republican primary ballots this spring.

The lack of opposition in the primary, however, doesn’t mean those candidates are guaranteed election to the offices they are seeking. Both parties can appoint candidates over the summer to run in the fall general election for offices that had no candidates in the primary.

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 3. Early voting at the Huntington County Courthouse began on April 5, and satellite voting centers will open this week throughout Huntington County.

Voters who want to vote by mail must submit a request to the Huntington County Clerk’s office no later than today, Monday, April 25.

Four Republican candidates for county-level offices — treasurer, coroner and two seats on the Huntington County Commissioners — have no opposition in the primary.

Paula Bonner Farley, currently a deputy in the county treasurer’s office, is the lone candidate for the Republican nomination for county treasurer. The current treasurer, Brenda Hamilton, is limited to two consecutive terms and is completing the final year of her second term.

Philip S. Zahm is a candidate to retain his position as county coroner. He served as a deputy coroner for 10 years before being appointed to the top position in 2011 following the resignation of Coroner Leon Hurlburt. He won his first elected term in 2012.

Larry D. Buzzard and Tom Wall are both seeking renomination as county commissioners.

Buzzard first served as a commissioner in 2008 and was elected to his first full four-year term in 2012.

Wall was first elected as a commissioner in 2008 and won a second term in 2012. He is currently seeking a third four-year term.

Buzzard holds the second district seat and Wall the third district seat, but all county residents vote for representatives from both districts.

Two Democrats seeking county-level offices in the primary are unopposed.

Robert W. Miller and Scott A. Thornsberry are candidates for the Democrat nominations to Huntington County Council. There are three at-large seats.
Miller and Thornsberry were both unsuccessful candidates last fall for a seat on the Huntington Common Council. Miller ran as a Democrat and Thornsberry as an independent.