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In the first three days of filing for the 2026 primary election, a number of candidates have submitted their names and paperwork to the Kosciusko County Clerk’s Office.
And there’s already one contested race.
Syracuse Town Council At-Large member Larry Siegel filed for re-election. The other at-large incumbent, Paul Stoelting, has announced he will not seek re-election after over 28 years. Two other men have filed for the at-large council positions - Matthew Goodnight and David Rosenberry - making for a three-way race for the two at-large council seats, as of Friday, Jan. 9.
All three are Republicans.
Only Republicans, so far, have filed for the local county, town and township primary elections in May.
They include Alyssa Jo Schmucker, auditor; Bobbi J. Burkhart, assessor; Deborah A. “Deb” Wright, recorder; Greg Anderson, Plain Township Board; Anthony W. “Tony” Ciriello, county council district 3; Joseph G. Irwin, county council district 2; David A. Wolkins, county council district 4; Craig Charlton, Plain Township trustee; Mark S. Lawson, Tippecanoe Township Board; James M. “Jim” Smith, sheriff; Julia A. Goon, Prairie Township trustee; Aime Hoffman, Seward Township trustee; Molly Bradford, Lake Township trustee; and Douglas Ruch, Milford Town Council.
For the 2026 primary state delegates and Democrat precinct committeemen, those who have filed as of Friday, Jan. 9 with the Kosciusko County Clerk’s Office are Scott Clay, state delegate at-large, Republican; Brian Pyle, state delegate at-large, Republican; Kelly Thompson, state delegate at-large and precinct committeewoman Tippecanoe 1, Democrat; and C. Austin Rovenstine, state delegate at-large, Republican.
Filing down at the state for the primary are Sharon K. Wilson, Kosciusko County Republican Convention Delegate, District 3; and Angie Booher, Kosciusko County Republican Convention Delegate, District 4. Donald Guthrie filed for Ward 1, Precinct 2 Democratic Precinct committeeman.
Kelly Thompson, Democrat, also has filed for U.S. 3rd District Representative, the position currently held by Republican Marlin Stutzman.
Incumbent Craig Snow has filed for re-election as District 22’s state representative, while incumbent David H. Abbott filed for re-election as District 18’s state representative.
Candidate filing began Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, and ends at noon Friday, Feb. 6, 2026.
Election of school board offices will appear only on the November 2026 ballot. Filing for those begins May 15, 2026, and ends on June 18, 2026, at noon.
For more information about the 2026 elections and topics of interest, visit the Kosciusko County website at www.kosciusko.in.gov; click on the “Menu” button” and then hit the “Elections” tab, which will take you to https://www.kosciusko.in.gov/department/index.php?structureid=32
For state candidate filings, visit https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/candidate-information/
