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Republicans could help decide two races today while Democrats hope to see a strong showing as a lead up to fall elections.
Kosciusko County races offer some big choices today on the local and federal levels for Republicans.
If early voting is an indicator, polling places could be busier than they were four years ago.
Kosciusko County Clerk Ann Torpy said the number of people voting early rose from 723 in 2014 to 1,023 this year, representing nearly a 30 percent increase.
Driving some of that interest is some competitive races.
Tops on the local ballot is the sheriff’s race. Republicans will choose one of four while the Democratic Party was unable to field a candidate. Another chance to slate a Democrat looms later this summer; chances of finding a winner goes against the odds. It’s been decades since a Democrat ran the sheriff’s department.
Those taking a Republican ballot will choose between incumbent interim sheriff Rocky Goshert, county coroner Tony Ciriello, Indiana State trooper Kyle Dukes and deputy Chris Rager.
Republicans also will choose between three for their U.S. Senate candidate – Mike Braun, Todd Rokita and Luke Messer.
Another high-profile race on the county level is for the southern county commissioner, which pits 12-year incumbent Bob Conley against businessman DeLynn Geiger.
In a somewhat rare battle, two incumbents for the statehouse are facing challengers this spring. District 18 State Rep. Dave Wolkins faces part-time pastor Russ Reahard from North Manchester in the Republican primary. In the District 22 race, incumbent Curt Nisly faces Kimberly Cates.
Republican chairman Mike Ragan sounded confident the party would see a good turnout today, spurred by some competitive races.
“This is a good one,” Ragan said. “I think the sheriff’s race is going to bring people out and I think the Senate race is going to bring people out.”
Kosciusko County Democratic Party Chairman Brian Smith, who earlier had urged Dems to resist the idea of taking a Republican ballot so they can have a say in the sheriff’s race, said he was encouraged by early voting.
Smith said that normally Democrats in the county represents no more than 10 percent of early voting. In 2014, that figure was 6 percent.
He said Democrats represented about 18 percent of the entire share of early votes this year.
“We’re seeing a lot of new voters on our side,” Smith said. “I am optimistic for the fall.”
Among the races he’s watching are the two Congressional races for the second and third districts, both of which include parts of Kosciusko County. Early turnout looks especially strong in the second district where three high-profile challengers, Mel Hall, Yatish Joshi and Pat Hackett, are trying to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski.
Voters headed to the polls locally under ideal conditions with sunny skies, but representatives of several precincts in Warsaw described turnout shortly after 9 a.m. as “light.”
At St. Anne’s Episcopal in Warsaw, voters at Warsaw Precinct 4-1 had not seen much traffic.
“I think at lunch, we’ll get a better idea,” said Dave Morgan, a Democratic judge at the precinct. Morgan has been a poll worker for about six years and is running unopposed for the District Four seat on county council on the Democratic ballot. He’ll face Jon Garber in the general election.
Of the 690 registered voters in the precinct, 34 had voted by shortly after 9 a.m.
Light traffic also was reported at three precincts at Center Lake Pavilion, precinct officials said.
