by
Fred Swift
Hamilton County Reporter
For the first time in history, Democrats have been elected to city councils in Fishers and Carmel.
While it may not seem like winning a total of three seats out of 11 contested council races is impressive, it is a major breakthrough for Democrats. And, it is likely to build momentum for next year.
In Fishers, Democrat Samantha DeLong defeated Republican Eric Moeller by 32 votes, and Jocelyn Vare bested Rich Block by more than 500 votes for an at-large council seat. Republicans prevailed for the other seven. Mayor Scott Fadness was re-elected without opposition.
In Carmel, Miles Nelson, a Democrat, won over Debra Minott in a new council district by a margin of 1,467 to 1,151, while the GOP won the other eight seats on the nine-member council. Mayor Jim Brainard got more than 10,000 votes but didn’t need them. He was unopposed.
Republicans swept the election for council in Noblesville and in Westfield where Mayor Andy Cook fended off a challenge from Libertarian Donald Rainwater 3,168 to 1,991, and Mike Johns won the only contested council race over independent Kate Snedeker.
Voters made Chris Jensen officially the city’s mayor-elect. He was unopposed and has already begun forming his new administration.
Jerry Cook was elected to the town council in Cicero over Brad Baker in the only race on the town’s ballot.
Republicans were surprised and disappointed by the Democratic wins in Fishers and Carmel, but their fortunes may not be fading as straight ticket Republican votes outnumbered straight ticket Democrat votes 8,878 to 1,867 countywide. The total voter turnout was very low at only 15.6 percent countywide.
Democrats had figured they would do better with a low turnout if they could get their hardcore supporters to the polls.
Carmel had the best turnout at just under 20 percent, and that may have been because of a school tax referendum in which voters were asked to consider increasing property taxes to provide more school security. That referendum passed with 69 percent approval.
