(LaPorte County, IN) - The LaPorte County Auditor was ahead of her opponent for the Democratic nomination in the County Treasurer’s race in Tuesday’s primary with votes from nearly one-half of the precincts counted.

 

Joie Winski and all candidates in LaPorte County won’t know the final outcome until Friday, though, because of delays in counting an avalanche of mail-in ballots.

“It’s not over until it’s over. It’ll be hard to wait,” she said.

 

Winski with 45 of the 92 precincts in the county reporting was leading by 508 votes against Ron Hamilton, Jr., a former member of the Michigan City Common Council.

She had received about 54-percent of the vote. During the campaign, Winski touted her experience in local government and skills that vastly improved a disorganized office racked by corruption when she took over as auditor nearly eight-years ago.

 

Hamilton emphasized a need for fresh ideas in a government with many officeholders previously serving other elected positions.

 

The winner in November faces Republican John Matwyshyn who ran unopposed.

 

According to the LaPorte County Election Board, there were 4,717 mail-in ballots compared to 585 in the 2016 primary election.

 

“In order to have accurate results, the tabulation process is going to take more time than in years past,” Election Board officials said.