Sheriff, auditor reelected in Jasper County

Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty and auditor Dennis Parrott both retained their seats after Tuesday’s election.

Both ran unopposed but still received thousands of votes for their seats with Halferty getting 16,399 (97.85 percent) and Parrott earning 14,704 (97.68 percent), according to the preliminary results released by the auditor’s office.

Halferty has been serving the Jasper County community since 1997 when he accepted a deputy position under former sheriff Jim Verwers. He served as chief deputy for 13 years and has been sheriff for the past eight years.

“It is an honor and blessing to be able to work in my home county. I would like to give credit to the dedicated and talented team at the sheriff’s office,” Halferty said.

Halferty says residents of Jasper County can expect the entire sheriff’s department to continue addressing their problems and concerns. He said the department will continue to objectively plan for the future.

“(This includes) enforcement efforts, technology and communication needs and recruitment and retention of new and our current team members. We must recognize and work together to address the growing need for mental health and substance abuse resources,” Halferty said.

The election gives Halferty four more years to serve the county. Even in this uncertain year, he remains hopeful for the future by what he has seen from the community.

“This has been a difficult and challenging year for many of us. I have been encouraged by the partnerships with our community members and their willingness to work together and help others,” Halferty said.

Parrott first began serving as county auditor in 1994. As the county’s commissioner of elections, he has worked to ensure Jasper County has accurate results. In this record year turnout, Parrott and the rest of the auditor’s office staff had their hands full making sure every vote is counted.

Parrott didn’t comment on his own reelection but remained focused on working out the glitches experienced during Tuesday’s election.

Contact Pam Pratt at
641-792-3121 ext. 6530 or pampratt@newtondailynews.com