Election 2010: Figg returns as jailer; county races wrapup

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010 11:59 p.m. – Despite the anti-incumbent mood of the country prior to Tuesday’s election, incumbent candidates held off challenges in races for county offices.

JAILER. Nelson County Jailer Dorcas Figg won re-election with 63.06 percent of the vote over her Republican challenger Jon Ryan, who received 36.94 percent of votes cast.

The jailer’s race had been one of the county’s more closely watched races following the escape of an inmate this summer. Figg campaigned on her 39 years of experience in operations at the jail.

CORONER. Nelson County Coroner Rayfield “Field” Houghlin held off Republican challenger Danielle Chladek, with Houghlin receiving 54.86 percent of the votes cast.

Chladek ran against Houghlin four years ago, but this time mounted a higher profile campaign that promoted adding forensic investigation to the local coroner’s office and moving the office out of the funeral home business to avoid conflicts of interest.

Chladek won six of the county’s 27 precincts.

COUNTY CLERK. In the race to fill the void left by the outgoing County Clerk Phyllis Mattingly, voters overwhelming voted for her deputy clerk, Elaine Filiatreau to fill Mattingly’s shoes.

Filiatreau received 65 percent of the vote to 35 percent for her Republican challenger Dwight Newton.

SHERIFF. Nelson County native Stephen D. Campbell was elected to be the next Nelson County Sheriff, receiving 54.77 percent of the vote. Campbell, a former Kentucky State Police trooper, has worked most of his career in Nelson County and is currently the school resource officer at Nelson County High School. Campbell defeated Republican Rick McCubbin, a former officer with the Louisville Metro Police and a former U.S. marshal. McCubbin currently serves as assistant chief of the Bardstown Police.

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