Clerk of courts beats out incumbent in 6-way GOP commission race

Carpenter takes 35 percent of vote, according to final official returns from Butler County Board of Elections.

By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 10:41 AM Wednesday, May 5, 2010

HAMILTON — Clerk of Courts Cindy Carpenter edged out the incumbent and won a six-way race for the Republican nomination for Butler County commission Tuesday, May 4.

With 100 percent of precincts counted, Carpenter took 35 percent of the vote. Incumbent Commission President Gregory Jolivette came in second with 27 percent, followed by former West Chester Twp. Trustee Jose Alvarez with 19 percent.

“I think that the one thing that we were hearing across the county … is simply that people want things to change,” Carpenter said Tuesday night. “They don’t want more taxes, they want more efficiently run government, basically talking about pocketbook issues.”

The other candidates were former Middletown city councilman Paul Nenni, and Hamilton residents Wes Retherford and Jesse VonStein.

“Because this is such a Republican-leaning county, this (primary) was a tremendous hurdle,” Carpenter said. In November she’ll face Butch Hubble, a U.S. Navy retiree living in Hanover Twp. who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The GOP race was marked by finger-pointing and frequent references by the challengers to recent nepotism allegations and federal indictments faced by county officials.

“She’s not afraid to tell you what she thinks,” voter Stephe Bacon said of Carpenter. “I’ve never known her not to follow through … and I respect her.”

Local Republican Rick Oliver, voting in Liberty Twp., said he voted for Carpenter because she carried the endorsement of Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones.

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