Jarboe wins for Third District Magistrate; Brown fends off write-in Brock

Voters decided Tuesday on incumbent Fourth District Magistrate Robbie Brown and political newcomer Michael Jarboe as the final two members of the four-person Whitley County Fiscal Court next year.

In the Third Magisterial District, Jarboe, who won the six-way Republican Primary in May, defeated former Third District Magistrate Johnny Lawson by a vote of 1,288 to 858 to win his first elected office. Lawson was the only local Democratic candidate on Tuesday’s Whitley County ballot.

Jarboe said he was both pleased and surprised by his margin of victory.

Jarboe said that he knew with Lawson being a former magistrate it would be a tough race and he wasn’t sure what to expect being a first time candidate.

"I want to thank my opponent for a hard clean race," he noted.

Jarboe said that he hopes to "hit the ground running," when he assumes office next year as magistrate, and that he wants to work not only for the betterment of his district but also for the betterment of the whole county.

Jarboe will replace outgoing Third-District Magistrate Jamie Fuson, who unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. in the May Primary.

Brown fended off a challenge Tuesday from write-in candidate Mark Brock to win his second term in office by a vote of 1,523 to 630.

Brown is the only incumbent magistrate returning to the fiscal court next year.

Brown said that he was pleased with the outcome of the race.

"First and foremost, I want to thank God. Through him all things are possible," Brown said during a stop at the courthouse Tuesday evening after election results were tabulated.

"I want to thank all my friends and family. This election for me has been going on for a year and a half. It seems like some of my opponents have been working that long. I am glad to see it finally come to an end.

"Last but not least, I’d like to thank all the people, who did get out and vote. I appreciate their time and their effort. I appreciate them having the confidence in me to put me back in office for another four years. I hope I don’t let them down."

Brown said that he was both pleased and surprised by his margin of victory, and that he wasn’t sure how a write-in candidate would fare.

Brown received 744 votes in the May Primary to defeat four other candidates for the Republican nomination, including Brock, who finished third in that race.

Brock said before the Tuesday’s election that he knew he would have an uphill battle as a write-in candidate.

Brown was first elected to the fiscal court in 2010 when he garnered 957 votes in the May Primary election to edge out incumbent Mike Baird by 142 votes in a seven-way race.

Brown was unopposed in the November General Election four years ago.

The fiscal court will have two other new members next year, who were both unopposed in Tuesday’s election.

In the First Magistrate District, Scotty Harrison defeated incumbent Roger Wells by 187 votes in the May Republican Primary. He garnered 1,644 votes Tuesday to win his first elected office.

In the Second Magistrate District, Lon Head defeated five other candidates in the May Republican Primary.

He received 577 votes to second place finisher James Blankenship’s 362 votes. Head garnered 2,094 votes Tuesday to win his first political office.

Head is replacing outgoing Second District Magistrate David Myers, who opted not to seek re-election this year.