Wednesday, Jan. 20, is the first day an individual may file a declaration of candidacy for nomination as a major party candidate to a local office in the 2010 primary elections in Franklin and Ripley counties.

Friday, Feb. 19, at noon is the deadline to file declarations.

One position has new requirements. Every candidate for the county assessor office must have attained Level 2 assessor-appraiser certification at the time of filing and must be a county property owner by the time office is taken, according to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

Franklin County will have these state offices on the primary ballot, according to Clerk Linda Vaughan: U.S. senator, U.S. 6th District representative, Indiana 43rd District state senator and Indiana districts 55, 67 and 68 representatives.

Voters also will choose major party nominees for county offices: prosecuting attorney, Circuit Court clerk, auditor, sheriff, coroner, assessor, commissioners for districts 1 and 2 and council members for districts 1-4.

Candidates for township trustees, township advisory board, Democratic Party precinct committeemen, state convention delegates, Brookville Town Council members Wards 2 and 4, Franklin County Community School Corp. members at large for districts 2 and 3 and Union County/College Corner Joint School District members also will be determined.

In Ripley County, “those wishing to run for state offices must file at the state level,” reports election deputy Diane Macek. On the primary ballot will be U.S. senator, 9th District U.S. representative, Indiana 43rd District state senator and state representatives for districts 67, 68 and 69.

Ripley County offices up for election in 2010 are the assessor, auditor, prosecutor, District 1 commissioner, surveyor, sheriff, council members for districts 1-4.

Also to be chosen are candidates for township trustees; township board members; Jac-Cen-Del Community School Corp. board members for districts 1, 2 and 4; Milan Community School Corp. board members for Franklin Township, Washington Township and at large; state convention delegates; and Democratic Party precinct committeemen.

Voter registration within the Franklin County Clerk’s Office, located on the Brookville courthouse’s first floor, is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m.

The Voter Registration Office within the Ripley County Clerk’s Office, located on the Versailles courthouse’s second floor, is open weekdays from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Both will be closed on Monday, Feb. 15, in observance of Presidents Day.

The deadline to register to vote to be eligible to participate in the May 4 primary election is April 5.

Applications are available at the Voter Registration Offices within the county clerk’s offices, license branches, libraries or from township trustees or local clerk-treasurers. In Ripley County, they also may be obtained at LifeTime Resources, Dillsboro, or the Web site www.ripleycounty.com.

For more information, in Ripley County persons may call 812-689-4783; in Franklin County, 765-647-5111, Ext. 3.