When the clock struck noon on Friday to mark the end of candidate filing, there was a healthy dose of familiar names on the May primary ballot, but Lake County will see a new sheriff elected as well as almost half of its County Council members.
County races
Due to the current Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. being term limited, the open seat will see a packed primary, with St. John Police Chief Steve Flores, retired ATF agent Jason Gore, Lake County Deputy Police Chief Edward Jenkins, John Gregory Sanchez, Lake County Sheriff’s officer Maria Garcia Trajkovich, and former Indiana State Police Lt. Jerry Williams. Former Lake County Sheriff’s Officer David Crane Jr., who ran for Sheriff in 2022, will be the Republican candidate.
On the Lake County Council, seats in Districts 1, 3 and 6 are open as the incumbents decided not to run again.
Scott Miller will face Christina Signorelli in the District 1 Democratic primary. There is not a Republican candidate in District 1.
In District 3, Ericka Lynn Castillo, David Gearman, Marlinda Tyson Haymon, Glenn Johnson, William L. Perryman, and Dwight Williams are running in the Democratic primary. Republican Stephen Aichner will face whoever emerges from the primary.
In District 6, former Merrillville town councilman Richard Hardaway willl square off against Steven Minchuk.
Incumbent District 2 Councilman Ron Brewer, D-Gary, is seeking re-election. He’ll be challenged by Gary council member Darren Washington, Toya Smith, Norman Eric Hairston, and former county councilman Al Mechaca. The primary winner will face Republican Bradley Hutchison.
In District 4, incumbent Pete Lindemulder, R-Schererville, is unopposed in the primary. He will face the winner of the Democratic primary, where Hanadi Vanessa Jawdat and Jen Wilson will face off.
In District 5, Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, is running unopposed in the primary and general election.
Incumbent District 7 Councilman Randy Niemeyer, R-Cedar Lake, will face Richard C. Thiel, Jr. in the primary
Bernard A. Carter is seeking re-election to his ninth term as Prosecutor.
Incumbent Lake County Clerk Mike Brown will be challenged in the Democratic primary by Andrew Sylwestrowicz, and the winner will face Republican Leslie Dallner in the general election.
Lake County Auditor Peggy Holinga Katona is seeking re-election, but will be challenged in the primary by current Lake County Recorder Gina Pimentel, Nick Petrovski and Sondra Ford. Republican Chuck Messler will face the primary victor.
Lake County Treasurer John Petalas, the incumbent, will be challenged by Anthony J. Manuel in the primary. Kevin Deane is the lone Republican in the race, so he would face whoever emerges from the primary.
Lake County Assessor LaTanya Spearman will face Republican Anthony Diaz in the general election.
Lake County Commissioner Kyle Allen, D-Gary, will face Republican Will Miller in November.
Federal races
U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, will face former Gary council member LaVetta Sparks-Wade in Democratic primary. The Republican Party primary for the U.S. Rep. First Congressional District will be Richard Benedict Mayers, Porter County Commissioner Barb Regnitz, Ben Ruiz and James Kent (Jim) Schenke.
State legislative races
The two Lake County Republican senators — State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, and State Senator Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell — will face primary challengers.
In the State Senate First District, Dernulc will face Trevor G. DeVries and Nader Liddawi in the Republican primary. Whoever wins the primary election in May will face Scott Houldieson, the Democratic candidate, in the general election.
In the State Senate Sixth District, Niemeyer will face James (Jay) Starkey in the Republican primary. The winner of that election will face Kate-Lynn Holley, the Democratic candidate, in the general election.
On the House side, State Reps. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond; Earl Harris, D-East Chicago; Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary; and Vernon Smith, D-Gary, will run unopposed in the primary and general elections.
State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster, will face Republican Chris Nelson in the general election for the State House 12th District seat.
State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, will face Democrat Anthony Oberman in the general election for the State House 15th District seat.
State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, will face Democrat Nick Neal in the general election for the State House 19th District seat.
Township races
Calumet Township Trustee Tai Adkins is seeking her first election to the post after she won a caucus to fill it in January 2025. She’s being challenged in the primary by Taneka Hall. Calumet Township Assessor Jackie Collins, who won a caucus in 2024, also filed for election to the spot; she is unopposed in the primary.
Hobart Township Assessor Lino Maggio will face Randall Guernsey, who previously served in the office before losing the 2022 Democratic primary to Maggio; the winner will see Republican Allen Price in the general election.
In the Democratic primary, North Township Trustee Adrian Santos will face Jesus Luis Ortiz III, Lisa Salinas Skiba, and Samuel Smith Jr.; Ross Township Assessor Angela Guernsey will face Lenny White; Ross Township Trustee Eric A. Blackmon Sr. will face Myesha Jones; and Hobart Township Trustee Fred Williams will face Ericka McCauley.
On the Republican side, Cedar Creek Township Trustee Alice Dahl, Center Township Assessor Joe Krnich, West Creek Township Trustee Heidi Laub, Eagle Creek Township Trustee Rosemarie Morrow, Hanover Township Trustee Kevin Toth, St. John Township Assessor Debbie Walters, and Winfield Township Trustee Cody Reynolds are running for re-election unopposed.
St. John Township Trustee Cathy J. Lareau will face Democrat Roger DePirro in the general election. Incumbent Center Township Trustee Paul Bremer will face Patricia A. Tsouklis in the Republican Primary.
Municipal races
The Cedar Lake, Dyer, Lowell, Schererville, St. John, and Winfield councils have seats up for grabs as well.
Dan Elzinga and Michael Nicolaou will face off in the Republican primary for the chance to challenge incumbent Schererville Town Councilman Tom Schmitt, D-4th, in November.
Schererville Town Councilman Kevin Connelly, R-2, will face Jeff Myszak in the primary, and the winner will square off against Democrat Jeff Kuhn.
Dyer Town Councilwoman Mary Tanis, R-4th, will be challenged by Democrat Joe Douglas in the general election.
Dyer Town Councilwoman Mary K. Timm, R-2nd, will face Kyle Rizzo in the Republican primary; the winner will face Democrat Alicia Catherine Myers in the general election.
Incumbent Dyer Town Council member Annette Ludwig, R-5, will face Mike Wargo in the primary, with the winner facing Democrat Taylor Gibson in the general.
Incumbent Cedar Lake Councilman Bob Carnahan, R-1st, will be challenged by Matt Jones in the Republican primary.
Cedar Lake Republicans Charles E. McMillion, Wayne Witvoet, and Peggy (Endris) Thiel are facing each other in the primary for the 2nd Ward Town Council seat, and the winner will be slated to run against Democrat Carol Kerr.
In the open 3rd Ward seat, Democrat Jeff Biel and Republican Barbara Littles will face each other in the general election.
In Lowell, incumbent Town Council member Todd Angerman is running unopposed for his Ward 2 seat, while Republican Nickolas Witvoet is the only candidate for the Ward 4 seat.
In St. John, Republican Justin T. Nestor has filed to run for the Ward 3 seat. He is running unopposed.
In Winfield, Republicans Zack Beaver and Jon Derwinski are seeking re-election to their At-Large seats, but will be challenged by Jayson Villars.
