by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

In the craziest off-year election in history, more than 138,000 Hamilton County voters went to the polls yesterday, creating anxiety on the part of many who could not imagine what such a large turnout would mean.

In the end, Republicans won all but one minor office (a township board seat in Fall Creek Township), but margins were closer than usual, leading Democratic Chairman Joe Weingarten to express satisfaction with the progress his candidates had made.

In most countywide races, Republicans won with about 60 percent of the vote, but that was down from the 70 percent or more that is normal in the county.

Leading the way was a relative newcomer to politics, Chuck Goodrich, who will take the seat formerly held by retiring State Rep. Kathy Richardson. Dennis Quakenbush won the sheriff’s race with slightly more than 60 percent of the vote.

The Noblesville School referendum proposing a $50 million bond issue passed with 58 percent of the vote. And, in Hamilton County, voters approved a state constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget.

Most school board members were re-elected in non-partisan voting.

A little-known change in the state law nearly cost some township officials their positions. Township officials are no longer included in straight-ticket voting. With more than 46,000 county voters pulling a straight Republican ticket, and only 20,000 voting straight Democratic, all incumbent township trustees and board members suffered greatly. All township officials are Republicans, and all but one managed to win despite the change in the law, but by much smaller margins than were seen in other races.

Election officials said the voting went well despite the record-breaking turnout. Nearly 33,000 residents voted early this year, and another 9,800 voted absentee.