Judge Shannon Meyer is grateful for the opportunity to continue serving as Daviess District Court Judge, Division 3. Meyer was appointed to the seat earlier this year, so this is the first time she was actually running for election.
The position was left vacant in December 2021 by retired Judge Daniel M. Burlew II, and Meyer was appointed in January.
In the Primary Election, J. Nick Payne actually pulled in the most votes (6,079) and Meyer finished second (4,831) in a field of four candidates.
Meyer worked hard over the last few months to gain support and show off her value to the community. It showed in Tuesday’s General Election, as she earned 13,511 votes to Payne’s 11,053.
“It’s just a relief to win,” Meyer said. “It was tough in the spring, and I saw I had a lot of work to do. I feel like I worked hard and proved myself, and I’m just really humbled and grateful, grateful, grateful to serve Daviess County for a full term.”
Meyer said over the last few months she’s been able to showcase her experience on the bench and prove that she was the right direction for the future of the court system locally.
“I think it was change,” Meyer said of the growth in support. “I think the change in the climate of our society necessitated a change on the bench. Kids, especially juvenile crime. Eight years ago, kids weren’t running with handguns. Kids weren’t out assaulting folks like they’re doing. Kids weren’t out committing robbery. I’ve brought accountability with me to the bench. Kids are learning real quick in my court that you’re going to be held accountable.”
Meyer said one of her long-term goals is to see if it’s feasible to hold some court after normal working hours.
“That’s not a decision that I make in a bubble. There’s a lot of things that would come into play, but I know it’s difficult for folks to get off work for some of the routine offenses. I’d like to see if we can accommodate that a little bit.
Meyer stressed her gratitude for being able to keep her seat thanks to the voters of Daviess County.
“I’m just humbled and just really grateful and appreciate the opportunity to serve four years,” she said.
