Election results not as close as some may have wished

This primary election will be noted in history not only for the changes made because of COVID-19 but also as one with the most number of candidates in the last several years. 
Voters saw contested races not only at the federal and state level but also locally including District 1 and District 2 commissioners, three county council members at-large and auditor. All the contested races involved Republicans. 
In regards to area towns, Winamac and Medaryville also had contested races. Three of the five Winamac Town Council seats that are at-large are up for election and in Medaryville the three council seats are up. 
This also may happen to be the race when the results are contested. According to county clerk and election board member JoLynn Behny some mail-in voters received duplicate ballots. Other mail-in applicants didn’t receive a ballot at all. 
To combat the issues, the election board and several volunteers sorted all the ballots in alphabetical order and more than triple checked the names. It appears the process worked well as no voter had two ballots. 
Behny also said the poll voting software would not allow for two ballots from the same person to exist. That same system will also not allow for a person to vote in person and a mail-in ballot from that same voter to be counted. 
Although the changes because of COVID-19 may have seemed overwhelming for many, 31.03% of Pulaski County voters went to the polls. That unofficial total is more than in 2018 when about 25% of registered voters cast votes in the primary election. In 2016 when there was a presidential race such as this year, 41.23% of the voters turned out. 
All results that are printed in the Journal are unofficial due to the election board not formally approving them yet and three provisional votes will be decided on by the election board in the next seven days. 

See the full story and election results in the Pulaski County Journal, available in print and e-edition.

Pulaski County Journal

114 W. Main Street
Winamac, IN 46996

(574) 946-6628
 

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