With Labor Day behind us, attention is turning to the November 3 general election. For Fishers-area voters, this year’s ballot includes school board, congressional, state legislative and local government races.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board will undergo a substantial change. Four of its seven seats are up for election, and none of the incumbents holding those seats — Tiffany Pascoe, Juanita Albright, Dawn Lang and Ben Orr — appears on the candidate list. That means a majority of the board’s seats will change hands when the next terms begin in January 2027.

That does not necessarily mean four first-time board members. Former trustee Michelle Fullhart, who previously served two terms, is seeking the District 3 seat.

I plan to cover the school board election in more detail as the campaign progresses, so I will save a closer look at the candidates for that reporting.

For now, one distinction matters: these are district elections. Voters cast a ballot for the HSE seat in the district where they live, rather than voting in all four races. Nine candidates are listed across the four districts, with Stephanie Braden the sole candidate in District 4.

Another race involves a current HSE board member. Albright won the Republican nomination for Indiana Senate District 31, while Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal won the Democratic nomination. They are seeking the seat held by Republican Kyle Walker, who announced that he would not seek reelection.

In Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, incumbent Republican Victoria Spartz faces Democratic state Sen. J.D. Ford. Both advanced from their parties’ May primaries.

There are also Indiana House and township offices on the ballot, along with county races. The contested Hamilton County sheriff’s election features Republican Dustin Dixon and Democrat Charles Hollowell. The offices and candidates appearing on an individual voter’s ballot depend on where that voter lives.

As a one-person news operation, I will do my best to cover as much of this election as I can in the weeks ahead.

For readers planning their participation, Indiana’s voter registration deadline is Monday, October 5. Early in-person voting begins Tuesday, October 6, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.

The state’s IndianaVoters portal provides registration status checks and registration services. Readers who have moved or changed their names can also find instructions for updating their records.

It is your right, and I would argue, your civic responsibility, to cast a vote.