Jeffersonville voters bring back Galligan

Clark County

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November 7, 2007

Former mayor tops Snelling in all 22 precincts

By LARRY THOMAS The News and Tribune Wed Nov 07, 2007, 11:10 AM EST

Jeffersonville mayor’s race

Tom Galligan (D) — 4,077 (62.9%)

Monty Snelling (R) — 2,406 (37.1%)

Tom Galligan will return to Jeffersonville’s mayor’s office, by virtue of his 1,671-vote win over Monty Snelling on Tuesday.

Galligan — a Democrat who served as the city’s mayor from 1996 to 2003 — won all 22 precincts and received at least 60 percent of the votes cast in 17 of them.

Galligan received 4,077 votes to Snelling’s 2,406, or 62.9 percent to 37.1 percent.

“Winning is better than losing,” said Galligan, to his supporters after results were posted. “In the next four years, I hope to prove worthy of your support.”

During his acceptance speech, Galligan asked for a moment of silence in honor of Mike Becher, the retired Clark County sheriff who died Friday and was buried early Tuesday afternoon.

Galligan, 61, lost the 2003 Democratic primary to Rob Waiz, the city’s current mayor, but beat Waiz in this year’s primary.

Snelling, 55, said he expected a more competitive showing and that he believed either he or Galligan would win by 300 to 400 votes.

“We were getting good feedback,” said Snelling, a Republican serving his first term on the Clark County Council. “I don’t know what happened.”

This was Snelling’s second bid for mayor, losing to Waiz in the general election four years ago.

Galligan said he likely will take a few days off before he begins assembling the team of people who will help him lead the city for the next four years.

Snelling’s County Council seat is up for election next year and he said he will consider seeking a second term.

“It seems like I’ve had better support in the county,” he said. “Maybe that’s where I’m supposed to be.

“We’ve got work to do in the county.”

Galligan’s two terms as mayor were marked by accomplishment and controversy, the latter of which became more intense as his relationships with City Council members deteriorated during his last three years in office.

During his acceptance speech, Galligan joked about the perception that he can be difficult to get along with, saying that his “kinder, gentler” approach forced him to ignore a friend’s suggestion that he begin his acceptance speech armed with a chainsaw and the words, “I’m back.”