by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

On the surface, Tuesday’s city elections for many folks may seem hardly worth taking seriously. The voting is only for local offices.

And, candidates for mayor in three of the county’s four cities are unopposed with only Westfield having a contest. But, looking a little deeper, we find there are some important matters at stake.

Republicans throughout the county are taking challenges to city council seats more seriously than in recent years. Democrats are known to be quietly working to get their potential supporters to vote, reportedly, with resources from state party officials, Democrats have been increasing their vote totals in recent elections.

If they can elect even a couple of their candidates it would be seen as a breakthrough and reason to continue to work hard in next year’s big general election.

In Noblesville, there are three contests for city council. Incumbent Greg O’Connor faces Jason Myers, incumbent Megan Wiles faces Jeremy Hawk, and incumbents Brian Ayers, Mark Boice and Darren Peterson are challenged by Paula Gilliam for one of the three seats at large. All incumbents are Republican.

In Carmel, incumbent councilor Bruce Kimball is challenged by Cleaster Davis, incumbent Sue Finkam faces challenger Tigre McNear, incumbent Laura Campbell faces William Howard, and Republican nominee Debra Minott is running against Miles Nelson. All incumbents are Republican.

In Westfield it is a Libertarian, Donald Rainwater, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Andy Cook, a Republican. Cook is taking the contest seriously enough to advertise on television, which is unusual and expensive in a purely local election.

Cook has fostered wide development including Grand Park, the proposed Grand Junction and other public improvements, which Rainwater feels are in some cases excessive and too expensive to taxpayers.

For voters in the Carmel Clay School District there is a referendum question on the ballot seeking several million dollars for school security. Voters will decide whether or not to raise their property taxes by as much as five cents per hundred dollars of assessed valuation.

In Fishers, Democrats are challenging Republicans in four city council races. It’s Eric Moeller (R) vs. Lane Skeeters (D); David George (R) vs. Adam Kaps (D); Rich Block (R), Cecilia Coble (R) and Todd Zimmerman (R) vs. Jocelyn Vare (D).

In Sheridan, Arcadia and Atlanta there will be no election since there is no opposition to candidates who filed for town board and town clerk positions.

And, for residents of unincorporated areas of the county, there is no election since it is a municipal election year only.