Musical chairs in St. Joseph County's primaries? Here's who's running so far.

A number of leaders in St. Joseph County will be leaving one political post to seek another in this spring’s primary elections.

In Indiana, candidates are allowed to file from Jan. 10 until noon Feb. 9. Several have already filed while others, including incumbents, have yet to appear on the board.

Here’s what we know about who’s filed in St. Joseph County so far. Bear in mind that there is plenty of time yet and that there are candidates who haven’t yet filed.

Rafael Morton, a Democrat who’s served on the county council since 1992, is instead running for Republican Derek Dieter’s current seat as county commissioner for District 2.

Dieter said he's filing for county surveyor. He and others have suspected that it would be very difficult for him, as a Republican, to win re-election as commissioner after his district was redrawn in 2022, now strongly favoring Democrats. As commissioner, he’d voted against the controversial redistricting.

The current surveyor, Democrat Robert Kruszynski, doesn’t plan to seek re-election.

Mishawaka city council member and retired police chief Tony Hazen is seeking the county commissioner seat for District 3, which is held now by Deb Fleming until she departs on Jan. 31 for health reasons.

In addition, GOP officials confirm that Hazen was also the only candidate for a Republican caucus on Jan. 20 to fill Fleming’s seat for the remaining 11 months of her term. Hazen would be leaving his seat on the Mishawaka Common Council, where he just began a four-year term on Jan. 1.

In this spring’s primary, Hazen is up against Republican Tom McCormick of North Liberty, who has also filed for the District 3 commissioner seat. McCormick said he wasn’t able to run for Fleming’s seat in the caucus because he doesn’t live within the District 3 boundaries as they’re currently drawn. The redistricting in 2022 will include his home for the elections this fall. He owns a home service electrical company and has served as a volunteer firefighter.

Democrat Jason Piontek had announced in November that he would seek Dieter’s commissioner seat. But, in January, Piontek announced he’d seek Morton’s county council seat for District D instead. Another Democrat, Jenn Shabazz, has filed for the Morton's District D council seat, too.

Piontek is assistant business manager for Local 153 of the union International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and has served on the South Bend Plan Commission and previously on the city’s public works board. Shabazz is principal of Ballard Elementary in Niles and has previously taught in South Bend schools.

Among the incumbents, Republican Randy Figg has filed for re-election to the county council in District F and Democrat Mark Catanzarite in District G.

Democrat Mary Beth Wisniewski, who is hitting her two-term limit as county recorder, has filed her candidacy for county treasurer. Republican Michael Rose, whose career has included time as a Marine Corps officer, filed for treasurer, too.

Democrat Tim Swager is the current treasurer but has said he intends to challenge Democratic State Sen. David Niezgodski (District 10) for his seat in the primary. Swager has yet to file.

Two Democrats have filed to run for Wisniewski’s job as county recorder. They are Sharon Banicki, who already works in the recorder’s office, and Carolyn Topolski, who works in the county auditor's office.

Statewide match-ups

In races for statewide offices, the primary already has a race for the Senate’s District 8, where incumbent Mike Bohacek is up against fellow Republican Joe Layne.

And there promises to be at least one race in the fall. Democrat Heidi Beidinger said she plans to run again for state House representative for District 5, which means a rematch of the 2022 race she lost against Republican incumbent Rep. Dale DeVon, who has filed for re-election. Beidinger served on the county’s health board until 2023.

Other incumbents have filed, too. There is still time, but they don't yet include Sen. Linda Rogers (R-11th) as well as House Rep. Ryan M. Dvorak (D-8th) and Rep. Timothy Wesco (R-21st).

Is there 'unity' yet?

Earlier in January, four local Democrats who are seeking different offices announced a “unity campaign” to support each other. They include Morton for commissioner, Piontek for council and state Sen. Niezgodski and state Rep. Maureen Bauer (District 6) for re-election.

But their party leaders aren’t joining in that campaign. While those candidates have a right to back each other, the county’s Democratic party chairwoman, Diana Hess, said the party historically hasn’t endorsed any of its candidates in the primary.

She noted that the “unity campaign” leaves out certain candidates who have already filed and who have yet to file. She pointed to Morton’s seat on the county council, held by a Democrat for three decades, and how that may still attract more candidates.

After the primary election, when it’s clear which Democrats will vie for election in the fall, Hess quipped, “Hopefully, we’ll have unity at that time.”

St. Joseph County filings

Here’s a list of who has officially filed paperwork for county seats in the primary as of 10 a.m. Jan. 19.

∎ Commissioner District 2

Rafael Morton (D)

∎ Commissioner District 3

Tony Hazen (R)

Tom McCormick (R)

∎ County Council District D

Jenn Shabazz (D)

Jason Piontek (D)

∎ County Council District F

Randy Figg (R)

∎ County Council District G

Mark Catanzarite (D)

∎ County Treasurer

Michael Rose (R)

Mary Beth Wisniewski (D)

∎ County Recorder

Sharon Banicki (D)

Carolyn Topolski (D)

Indiana General Assembly

Below are state candidate filings as of Jan. 18.

∎ Senate District 5:

Ed Charbonneau (R)

∎ Senate District 8:

Michael Bohacek (R)

Joe Layne (R)

∎ Senate District 9:

Ryan Mishler (R)

∎ Senate District 10:

David Niezgodski (D)

∎ Senate District 11:

No one yet

∎ House District 5:

Dale R. DeVon (R)

∎ House District 6:

Maureen Bauer (D)

∎ House District 7:

Jake Teshka (R)

∎ House District 8:

No one yet

∎ House District 21:

No one yet

South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits can be reached at 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Morton Dieter Hazen seek switch in St. Joseph County primary elections