Voters oust Martinsville mayor; Lawrence mayor wins

Martinsville voters tapped Shannon Kohl over longtime incumbent Phil Deckard in the Republican race for mayor.

Kohl, a real estate agent and City Council member, garnered 1,306 votes to Deckard's 999.

In this heavily Republican community, the GOP primary winner almost certainly will win the seat on Nov. 3.

After the final results were announced, Kohl, 45, said she planned to take a couple days off before getting back to work.

"I think the voters decided they were ready for a change," Kohl said, noting she would bring transparency and openness to the mayor's office.

She renewed her campaign promise to lure jobs and growth to this city of about 12,000 residents.

"I'm excited for the future of Martinsville," Kohl said. "I love living here."

Deckard, 74, was seeking a third consecutive term after previously serving two terms from 1988-1995.

During the campaign, Kohl accused Deckard of mismanaging the city's budget. Deckard accused Kohl of misrepresenting facts and grandstanding.

Lawrence mayor holds on

Incumbent mayor of Lawrence Dean Jessup, meanwhile, will get his chance to chase re-election in November after beating his challenger in the Democratic primary, council member Linda Treat. With all precincts reporting, Jessup had 930 votes to Treat's 572.

"We've come a long way in the last three years," Jessup said in a statement. "In the coming weeks, I look forward to speaking to voters all around the city about how we can continue to build on this progress."

Jessup will face off against Republican challenger Steve Collier, a council member who won his primary handily against challenger Lana Schneider, a former deputy police chief. Collier had 944 votes to Schneider's 212.

"Our focus now shifts to November," Collier said in a statement celebrating his victory. "And together, we will become the city we are destined to be."

Lawrence hasn't seen an incumbent mayor win re-election since four-term Republican Mayor Tom Schneider's victory in 1999. Schneider was ousted from the job in 2003 after he was criticized over his handling of the city's water utility. Lana Schneider is Tom Schneider's widow.

Contested races for mayor around the Indianapolis metropolitan region were confined to Republican primaries, meaning the winners are almost guaranteed a victory in the general election later this year.

Lebanon voters ousted current mayor Huck Lewis in favor of his challenger in the Republican primary, Matt Gentry. Gentry won with 1,484 votes, compared to 702 for Lewis. Lewis had served as mayor since 2009, when he won a special election to replace late mayor John Lasley. He was then elected in 2011.

In the Republican race for mayor of Noblesville, incumbent mayor John Ditslear defeated challenger Mike Corbett. Ditslear had 3,164 votes compared to 2,256 for Corbett.

Greenfield incumbent mayor Chuck Fewell also seemed to be on track to secure victory in a Republican primary race against challenger Judy Jo Swift. Fewell had 1,183 votes compared to 599 votes for Swift.

Contact Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @vicryc.