Gary city councilmen Mike Brown, Clorius Lay, and Cozey Weatherspoon win county offices

In case you missed it: Tuesday was Primary Election day

Contributed By:The 411 News

It was nearly midnight when Lake County election officials reported all precinct vote totals for Tuesday's Primary races. Along with the winners, the voters who stayed at home make up part of the story.

Just over 46,224 or 12.67 percent of Lake County's 364,925 registered voters cast ballots. Election Day voters totaled 33,091. Absentee voters totaled 2,418 and early voters totaled 10,716.

Many of the contests for county, state, and federal offices were uncontested, making for a ho-hum day. Fewer competitors meant less noise. And the rain may have kept some voters away.

Races for Lake County government offices brought out most voters in heavily Democratic Lake County.

For countywide government races, Democratic primary winners are practically assured of becoming the officeholder since they outnumber Republicans 3-to-one and won't even campaign in November's General Election.

This showed up in the races for county prosecutor, sheriff, assessor, auditor, clerk, and treasurer. No candidates were slated for those offices in the Republican primary.

Democratic incumbent Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez, with 12,340 votes won over Richard Ligon with 8,566 votes, Maria D Trajkovich with 4,332 votes, and Anthony Williams with 2,013 votes.

Democratic incumbents, Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter and Lake County Assessor LaTonya Spearman were unopposed.

Democratic incumbent County Auditor Peggy Holinga Katona, with 19,447 votes topped Eduardo Fontanez with 6,829 votes. Incumbent County Treasurer John Petalas, with 17,008 votes bested Josefina Magallanes with 8,718 votes.

Three Gary city councilmen looking to change jobs won primary bids on the Democratic side.

Gary City Councilman At-Large Mike Brown won in a 5-way race, ousting incumbent Lake County Clerk Lorenzo Arredondo, 12,139 votes to 6,155 votes. Jesse Gomez was third with 3,252. Andrew Sylwestrowicz was fourth with 3,232. Alex Garza was last with 1,880.

In a 3-way race, Gary City Councilman At-Large Clorius Lay ousted incumbent 2nd District Lake County Councilman Al Menchaca, 2,228 votes to 1,840 votes. Cornelius Williams came in third with 1,075 votes.

In a 4-way race for Calumet Township Assessor, 2nd District Gary City Councilman Cozey Weatherspoon defeated Edward Gholson 2,375 votes to 2,197 votes. Sondra Ford came in 3rd with 1,412 votes. Last was Jim Nowacki with 501 votes.

Gholson serves as deputy assistant township assessor to Calumet Township Assessor Jackie Collins, who didn't seek re-election.

In what was considered to be a close contest didn’t turn out to be for Democrat incumbent Calumet Township Trustee Kimberly Robinson. Robinson, with 1,386 votes bested Darren Washington with 736 votes.

Republican majorities dominate in south Lake County, assuring Republican officeholders a seat at the table in county government where few Democrats are registered; winning county commissioner, county council and township races. .

At the top of the ticket on the Democratic side, Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott ran unopposed. He'll face Republican incumbent U.S. Senator Todd Young in November.

Democrat U.S. Rep. (District 1) Frank Mrvan, with 7,760 votes bested Richard E. Fantin with 713 votes. Mrvan will face Republican Jennifer-Ruth Green in November.

Story Posted:05/04/2022