Joe Hay Wins Saline County Commission District 5 Republican Primary
The incumbent county commissioner received approximately two-thirds of the vote against challenger Wayne Norman.
Saline County Commissioner Joe Hay Jr. won the Republican primary for County Commission District 5 on Tuesday, defeating Wayne Norman by 298 votes in the final unofficial election-night results.
The totals showed:
Joe A. Hay Jr.: 587 votes, or 67%
Wayne E. Norman: 289 votes, or 33%
A total of 876 votes were cast in the contest. Hay finished approximately 34 percentage points ahead of Norman.
Hay Wins Across Voting Methods
Hay led in advance, early and Election Day voting.
He received 36 advance votes, 107 early votes and 444 Election Day votes. Norman received 10 advance votes, 53 early votes and 226 votes on Election Day.
Hay received slightly more than twice as many votes as Norman in the final unofficial count.
Incumbent Seeking Another Term
Hay currently represents District 5 on the five-member Saline County Commission and serves as the commission’s vice chairman.
Each county commissioner represents one district and serves a four-year term. The commission establishes county budgets, approves contracts and adopts county policies and regulations.
District 5 includes Salina precincts 5, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 31, along with the Glendale, Ohio, Pleasant Valley, Smoky Hill and Spring Creek townships.
November Ballot Comes Next
The county’s June 1 candidate filing list showed Hay and Norman as the only named partisan candidates for the District 5 seat. The Democratic primary produced 33 write-in votes.
The final general-election field will depend on the certification of write-in results and any valid independent nominations filed with election officials.
The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3.
Results Await Certification
Saline County’s election-night report remains unofficial.
Election officials must review provisional ballots and complete the canvass before certifying the results. Hay’s 298-vote advantage establishes him as the apparent Republican nominee for another term representing District 5.
