Election races set for Columbus

The deadline to file to run for citywide office in Columbus has passed. The Bartholomew County Voter Registration Office closed filing at noon on Friday. All incumbents, from Mayor Jim Lienhoop to all seven members of city council, filed for reelection.

Many will have no opposition in their primary election. These include Republicans: Clerk-Treasurer Luann Welmer and Council members Tim Shuffett and Frank Miller, and 2nd District Councilwoman Elaine Wagner, a Democrat.

Mayor Lienhoop is facing a challenger in the Republican Primary. Local resident Glen Petri is running against the first-term mayor. The winner faces no Democratic challenger in November’s general election.

For City Council District 1, incumbent Republican Dascal Bunch is being challenged by Christopher Rutan in the GOP primary. Rutan previously ran for council as a Democrat. The winner faces no Democratic challenger in November.

For City Council District 2, Republican Jim Hartsook is running unopposed in his primary. He’ll face Wagner in the general election.

For City Council District 3, incumbent Republican David Bush faces a primary challenge from Russ Poling. Bush was selected by party leaders in December to finish the term of former Councilman Frank Jerome. Poling is currently serving in his second term on the Columbus City Plan Commission.

The winner of that primary will face Democrat Nancy Hoover, who is unopposed in her party.

Democrat Michael Schoumacher and Ross Thomas are slated to face Republicans Miller and Shuffett for the District 4 and District 5 seats in November.

A bevy of contenders are campaigning for the two At-Large seats on the council. Incumbent Republican Laurie Booher is being challenged by Josh Burnett and John D. Counceller. Incumbent Democrat Tom Dell is joined on the Democratic ballot by Grace Kestler.

This year’s Primary Election is May 7th. The General Election is Nov. 5th.