Primary Election Results Reveal Low Turnout, Strong Democratic Participation
Only 8.32% of registered voters cast ballots Tuesday, but the results still set the stage for several key Evansville and southwest Indiana races this fall.
Voter turnout remained low across Vanderburgh County during Tuesday’s primary election, with just 10,296 ballots cast out of 123,739 registered voters — a turnout rate of 8.32%, according to final unofficial election results released Tuesday night. All 135 precincts and 22 voting centers reported by the end of the evening.
While participation numbers were light overall, Democratic voters accounted for most ballots cast in the county, submitting 6,950 ballots compared to 3,346 Republican ballots.
Several county and township races had unopposed candidates or no opposing party challengers, which likely contributed to the low turnout. Democrats also had contested races in several local and congressional contests, helping drive stronger Democratic participation Tuesday night.
One of the evening’s biggest races came in Indiana’s 8th Congressional District Democratic primary, where four Democrats competed for the nomination to represent Evansville and much of southwestern Indiana in Congress. Mary Allen emerged with a commanding victory, winning more than 83% of the vote over challengers Mario Foradori, Christopher Rector, and Tabitha Zeigler. Allen will now face Republican Mark Messmer in the Nov. 3 general election after Messmer advanced unopposed in the GOP primary.
In another notable local contest, longtime Republican State Sen. Jim Tomes defeated challenger Brandi Durham Pugh in the Republican primary for Indiana Senate District 49 with 79% of the vote. Tomes has represented southwest Indiana in the State Senate since first being elected in 2010 and will now face Democrat Cindi Clayton in November.
Several Evansville-area legislative races are now set heading into the fall election season:
- State Rep. Alex Burton advanced unopposed in House District 77 and currently has no Republican challenger filed.
- Republican Wendy “Mac” McNamara will face Democrat Logan Patberg in House District 76.
- Republican Tim O’Brien will face Democrat Sally Busby in House District 78.
In county races, Democrat Noah Robinson advanced for Vanderburgh County sheriff after running unopposed in the primary, while Republican Justin Elpers advanced in the County Commissioner District 2 race.
Township winners included:
- Ruby McGlown, Pigeon Township trustee
- Kathryn Martin, Knight Township trustee
- Rick Riney, Perry Township trustee
- Gary Burdsall, Center Township trustee
- Beverly White-Rowley, German Township trustee.
Tuesday’s results now set the stage for the Nov. 3 general election across Evansville, Vanderburgh County, and southwest Indiana.
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