The Pilot News - And the winners are...

We have a long road ahead — I think times are going to get tough. We have a lot of work to do. And I'm looking forward to getting back to Indianapolis and getting back to work for the people of my district," Dembowski said.
The Democratic race for the county council at-large seats was the most interesting, with five candidates running. Top vote getter was incumbent Jennifer Davis, with 2,763 votes. Incumbent Mark Smith was right behind her, with 2,758 votes. Incumbent Doug Vessely narrowly lost for the third slot to Judy Benninghoff. Benninghoff had 2,207 votes to Vessely’s 2,126, a margin of 81 votes and the narrowest margin of the night.
I'm grateful for the people who voted for me, and I appreciate their support. I plan to work hard for them this summer. And if elected in the fall, I plan to represent the county to the best of my ability," Davis said.
On the Republican side of the council race, Kay Gudeman was the top vote getter with 762 votes. Rutherford Byron Walters also gained a slot on the ballot, with 458 votes. There were only two Republicans running.
There were 6,318 votes cast, or just under 36 percent of the 17,562 registered voters. That turnout is higher than usual.
As presidential candidates urged voters to “vote early,” absentee balloting was very high in Starke County, with 694 votes cast. Almost all of those were walk-ins to the courthouse.
Another interesting race was the Democratic one for county surveyor. Dennis Estok, former Knox mayor, won with a comfortable margin over challenger Steven Schrader. Estok had a margin of 117 votes, garnering 2,445 over Schrader’s 2,328. The race was initially narrow, with Estok ahead by only 19 votes.
On the Republican side, Durand (Randy) Johnson was unopposed and had 893 votes. He and Estok will face off in November.
Daniel Bridegroom handily won the race for County Commissioner District 3 seat, besting Robert Manning and Matthew Quaife. Bridegroom had 1,917 votes, (42 percent), Manning 1,371 (30 percent) and Quaife 1,312 (29 percent).
Bridegroom was taken to Starke Memorial Hospital by ambulance from Democratic headquarters at the Knox Community Center. He complained of chest pains, but at the hospital he said he was feeling better and the pain had stopped. The hospital was running tests, and said if there were nay problems he would be transferred to another facility. Otherwise, he would return home.
He will face incumbent commissioners Kent Danford in the fall. Danford won handily over Terry Wellsand, 736 to 294 (Danford had 71 percent, Wellsand 29 percent).
In the county treasurer’s race, on the Democratic side, Linda Belork edged out challenger Melissa Osburn, 2,397 (53 percent) to 2,147 (47 percent).
Belork will face Republican Dave Kesvormas Sr. in the fall. Kesvormas was unopposed and garnered 865 votes.
"I plan to spend the next few months concentrating on my campaign," Dave Kesvormas said.
The race for County Commissioner District 1 saw two unopposed candidates. Democrat Mark Allen won 3,877 votes, the highest vote total in local races. Republican Kathryn Norem received 933 votes. The seat is currently held by Kevin Kroft, who did not seek re-election.
Other results:
Republican Mark MacKillop, current county surveyor, was unopposed in the race for the District 17 State Representative seat. He received 1,002 votes and will face Dembowski in the fall.
"Marshall County went very well. I was hoping to have a good turnout in Starke County," MacKillop said.
Shirley Budka won 1,006 votes and was unopposed in the race for one seat on the Oregon-Davis School Board.
All percentages are rounded off for ease of reading.
—Leader Editor John Reed, Staff Writer Cheryl Patrick and Correspondent Robin Vargo contributed to this story.