When I moved to Hamilton County in 1991, I could not have imagined an election like the one we have experienced in 2026.
If the unofficial vote tally becomes official, Democrats will hold several countywide offices. Democrat Charles Hollowell defeated Republican Dustin Dixon for sheriff by 2,743 votes. Democrat Alexandra Wilson defeated Republican Beth Sheller for Circuit Court clerk. Democrat Emily Angel Shaw defeated Republican Danica Eyler for Superior Court 8 judge.
With a Democratic clerk, Democrats will control the county election board. Under Indiana law, the clerk sits on the three-member board with one appointee from each major party.
Republican County Commissioner Christine Altman won re-election by 323 votes out of nearly 145,000 cast, edging Democrat Ti’Gre McNear. Democrats won three of four County Council seats: Christopher Daniel in District 1, Nathan Bullock in District 2 and Jason Frank in District 4. Republican Mark Hall held District 3.
Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston of Fishers appears to have lost re-election in House District 37. Democrat Lauren Cole beat him 51.5% to 48.5%. In Senate District 31, the Fishers-area seat held by retiring Republican Kyle Walker, Democrat Kerry Forestal took 57% of the Hamilton County vote against Republican Juanita Albright. That district extends into northern Marion County.
State Rep. Chris Jeter appears to have lost his House District 88 seat to Democrat Stephanie Jo Yocum, who won 53% of the Hamilton County vote, but that district extends to other counties and is still considered too close to call this morning.
Closer to home, the Fall Creek Township trustee’s office will go from a Republican to a Democrat. Stephanie Hunt defeated Doug Allman with 55% of the vote. Fall Creek and Delaware townships will each have three new board members, all Democrats. In Fall Creek, Mulalo Rikhotso edged Republican Susan Davis by 109 votes for the third seat.
Republicans have had solid control of most county and township governments in the Fishers area for a very long time. This election appears to change all that.
In Congress, Democrat J.D. Ford defeated incumbent Republican Victoria Spartz in the 5th District. He carried Hamilton County with 55% of the vote. Spartz was defiant in her election night statement:
“This election is a wake-up call for Indiana. An influx of liberal voters has turned Hamilton County, once one of the top 20 most conservative counties in the country, blue – with not enough rural Indiana voters to offset those numbers. Democrats significantly outspent us and ran a very dishonest campaign, but I urge my supporters not to get discouraged. We may not win every battle, but WE WILL WIN THE WAR!”
On the school front, every Hamilton County district with a funding referendum on the ballot passed it except Sheridan, where it failed by 91 votes. The Hamilton Southeastern referendum passed with more than 58% of the vote. Carmel’s also drew 58%, Noblesville’s 57% and Westfield Washington’s 56%.
The Hamilton Southeastern School Board will have four new members in 2027. None of the incumbents ran again. The winners were Greg Wright in District 1, Josh Perry in District 2 and Michelle Fullhart in District 3. Stephanie Braden was unopposed in District 4.
Turnout reached 51.86%, with 150,804 ballots cast by 290,805 registered voters.
There will be a lot more to be written and said about this election cycle. For now, here are the unofficial results with all 234 Hamilton County precincts reporting:
Hamilton County 2026 General Election – Unofficial Results
Source: Hamilton County Election Office. Precincts: 234 of 234 reporting. Registered voters: 290,805. Ballots cast: 150,804. Turnout: 51.86%.
Public Question – Right to Bail
Yes: 82,243 (57.90%)
No: 59,798 (42.10%)
Public Question – Judge Residence
Yes: 88,184 (61.83%)
No: 54,448 (38.17%)
Public Question – Carmel Schools
Yes: 24,669 (58.07%)
No: 17,812 (41.93%)
Public Question – Hamilton Southeastern Schools
Yes: 25,624 (58.33%)
No: 18,309 (41.67%)
Public Question – Noblesville Schools
Yes: 15,211 (57.18%)
No: 11,393 (42.82%)
Public Question – Sheridan Schools
Yes: 931 (47.67%)
No: 1,022 (52.33%)
Public Question – Westfield Washington Schools
Yes: 14,542 (56.01%)
No: 11,423 (43.99%)
Secretary of State
(R) Max Engling: 58,277 (39.20%)
(D) Beau Bayh: 80,141 (53.90%)
(L) Lauri A. Shillings: 2,306 (1.55%)
(LIN) Greg Ballard: 7,924 (5.33%)
Write-In: 36 (0.02%)
State Comptroller (Auditor of State)
(R) Elise Nieshalla: 67,186 (45.95%)
(D) Jessica Bailey: 75,183 (51.42%)
(L) John Schick: 3,856 (2.64%)
Treasurer of State
(R) Daniel Elliott: 71,493 (49.04%)
(D) Coumba Kebe: 74,281 (50.96%)
U.S. Representative, District 5
(R) Victoria Spartz: 65,570 (44.54%)
(D) J.D. Ford: 81,500 (55.36%)
Write-In: 147 (0.10%)
State Senator, District 21
(R) Tracey Powell: 13,926 (49.77%)
(D) Kirsten Root: 14,052 (50.23%)
State Senator, District 25
(R) Mike Gaskill: 1,396 (73.36%)
(D) Tamie Dixon-Tatum: 507 (26.64%)
State Senator, District 29
(R) John Ruckelshaus: 8,175 (43.05%)
(D) Kristina Moorhead: 10,816 (56.95%)
State Senator, District 31
(R) Juanita Albright: 17,517 (42.66%)
(D) Kerry J. Forestal: 23,549 (57.34%)
State Representative, District 24
(R) Hunter Smith: 14,414 (46.23%)
(D) Racheal Bleicher: 16,766 (53.77%)
State Representative, District 29
(R) Alaina Shonkwiler: 14,623 (52.39%)
(D) Devon Wellington: 13,289 (47.61%)
State Representative, District 32
(R) Paul G. Nix: 9,337 (38.89%)
(D) Victoria Garcia Wilburn: 14,672 (61.11%)
State Representative, District 37
(R) Todd Huston: 12,532 (48.48%)
(D) Lauren S. Cole: 13,318 (51.52%)
State Representative, District 39
(R) Danny Lopez: 13,884 (45.89%)
(D) Lindsay Gramlich: 16,369 (54.11%)
State Representative, District 88
(R) Chris Jeter: 3,854 (46.93%)
(D) Stephanie Jo Yocum: 4,359 (53.07%)
Judge of the Superior Court No. 3
(R) Chris Evans: 89,371 (100.00%)
Judge of the Superior Court No. 4
(R) Angela Brown Swenson: 89,843 (100.00%)
Judge of the Superior Court No. 5
(R) David K. Najjar: 88,659 (100.00%)
Judge of the Superior Court No. 8
(R) Danica L. Eyler: 68,664 (47.53%)
(D) Emily L. Angel Shaw: 75,801 (52.47%)
Judge of the Superior Court No. 9
(R) Paul C. Sweeney: 89,165 (100.00%)
Prosecuting Attorney, 24th Judicial Circuit
(R) Josh Kocher: 89,007 (100.00%)
Circuit Court Clerk
(R) Beth Sheller: 70,648 (48.73%)
(D) Alexandra E. Wilson: 74,325 (51.27%)
County Recorder
(R) Trini Beaver: 87,957 (100.00%)
County Sheriff
(R) Dustin K. Dixon: 71,723 (49.06%)
(D) Charles Hollowell: 74,466 (50.94%)
County Coroner
(R) Jeff D. Jellison: 90,435 (100.00%)
County Assessor
(R) Kevin W. Poore: 88,942 (100.00%)
County Commissioner, District 1
(R) Christine Altman: 72,549 (50.11%)
(D) Ti’Gre McNear: 72,226 (49.89%)
County Council, District 1
(R) Tim Griffin: 17,164 (46.83%)
(D) Christopher Daniel: 19,487 (53.17%)
County Council, District 2
(R) Amy Elizabeth Massillamany: 14,990 (43.83%)
(D) Nathan Bullock: 19,213 (56.17%)
County Council, District 3
(R) Mark F. Hall: 19,272 (55.47%)
(D) Doug May: 15,474 (44.53%)
County Council, District 4
(R) Ken Alexander: 19,384 (48.67%)
(D) Jason E. Frank: 20,443 (51.33%)
Clay Township Trustee
(R) Paul D. Hensel: 24,938 (100.00%)
Clay Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) Paul K. Bolin: 15,501 (14.83%)
(R) David Haboush: 15,084 (14.43%)
(R) Morgan B. Rinehart: 15,837 (15.15%)
(D) Gregory Daniels: 20,189 (19.32%)
(D) Michael Needham: 18,809 (18.00%)
(D) Matthew J. Phelps: 19,082 (18.26%)
Delaware Township Trustee
(R) Deborah “Debbie” Driskell: 7,333 (100.00%)
Delaware Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) Rick Fain: 4,544 (13.73%)
(R) Kim Logan: 4,483 (13.55%)
(R) Marilyn A. Schenkel: 4,510 (13.63%)
(D) Bethann Buddenbaum: 6,342 (19.17%)
(D) Jennifer Dean Chaudhry: 6,577 (19.88%)
(D) Patrick Schooley: 6,633 (20.05%)
Fall Creek Township Trustee
(R) Doug Allman: 12,301 (44.74%)
(D) Stephanie Hunt: 15,191 (55.26%)
Fall Creek Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) Susan Davis: 10,971 (16.59%)
(R) Diane Eaton: 10,214 (15.44%)
(R) Lynne Goodin: 9,850 (14.89%)
(D) Alex J. Hunt: 12,500 (18.90%)
(D) Mulalo Rikhotso: 11,080 (16.75%)
(D) Joe Weingarten: 11,517 (17.42%)
Jackson Township Trustee
(R) Robyn Cook: 2,801 (68.38%)
(I) Cody Perry: 1,295 (31.62%)
Jackson Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) Jim Hunter: 2,468 (37.37%)
(R) Jeffery S. Roberts: 1,948 (29.49%)
(R) Eric Scherer: 2,189 (33.14%)
Noblesville Township Trustee
(R) Theresa Caldwell: 18,077 (100.00%)
Noblesville Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) Joe Arrowood: 11,428 (21.67%)
(R) Peggy R. Pfister: 10,428 (19.77%)
(R) Mary Sue Rowland: 11,200 (21.23%)
(D) Paula Jo Gilliam: 9,041 (17.14%)
(D) Jenna Stewart: 10,647 (20.19%)
Washington Township Trustee
(R) Jamie Goetz Mills: 13,081 (50.83%)
(D) Jeffery Bledsoe Jr.: 12,656 (49.17%)
Washington Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) Jim Ake: 10,937 (17.53%)
(R) Danyele Easterhaus: 10,748 (17.23%)
(R) Erica Strahm: 11,064 (17.73%)
(D) Bennie Britt: 9,816 (15.73%)
(D) Michael Cardwell: 10,087 (16.17%)
(D) Tradara McLaurine: 9,736 (15.61%)
Wayne Township Trustee
(R) Laura McNamara: 2,301 (100.00%)
Wayne Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) Eric Cunningham: 1,466 (38.09%)
(R) Maegen R. Fleck: 1,318 (34.24%)
(R) Robert Dustin Hiday: 1,065 (27.67%)
White River Township Trustee
(R) Lisa Suzanne Flanders: 764 (79.01%)
(D) Kat Wilson: 203 (20.99%)
White River Township Board (Vote for 3)
(R) John Dean: 615 (31.44%)
(R) Edward Trent Gordon: 491 (25.10%)
(R) Jamie Rulon: 533 (27.25%)
(I) Robbie Ping: 317 (16.21%)
Arcadia Town Council, District 2
(R) Amanda Engle: 353 (100.00%)
Arcadia Town Council, District 3
(R) Doug Grishaw: 356 (100.00%)
Atlanta Town Council At Large (Vote for 2)
(R) Fred A. Farley: 157 (49.06%)
(R) John Phifer: 163 (50.94%)
Cicero Town Council At Large (Vote for 2)
(R) Clayton Bell: 1,227 (49.32%)
(R) Joe Cox: 1,261 (50.68%)
Sheridan Town Council At Large
(R) Daniel A. Bragg: 1,553 (100.00%)
Sheridan Town Council, District 1
(R) Garrett Gossard: 408 (100.00%)
Sheridan Town Council, District 2
(R) Heidi Kienholz: 205 (100.00%)
Sheridan Town Council, District 4
(R) Andrew R. Porterfield: 374 (100.00%)
Carmel Clay School Board, District 1
(R) Stephanie Flittner: 24,352 (100.00%)
Carmel Clay School Board, District 2
(R) Jennifer Cashin: 24,730 (100.00%)
Carmel Clay School Board, District 3
(D) Michele L. Kirby: 27,800 (100.00%)
Hamilton Heights School Board At Large
Richard (Jack) Russell: 3,689 (100.00%)
Hamilton Heights School Board, Jackson Township
Julie A. Davis: 3,869 (100.00%)
Hamilton Heights School Board, White River Township
Benjamin G. Lehman: 3,805 (100.00%)
Noblesville School Board At Large (Vote for 2)
(R) Denise M. Dye: 10,456 (29.60%)
(R) Joe Forgey: 14,223 (40.26%)
(R) Misti Ray: 10,649 (30.14%)
Hamilton Southeastern School Board, District 1
(R) Greg Wright: 3,653 (43.98%)
(L) Anthony Jason Wren: 1,365 (16.43%)
Faiza Maqsood: 3,288 (39.59%)
Hamilton Southeastern School Board, District 2
Ferras B. Abdalla: 1,693 (17.38%)
Cyrus Keck: 3,066 (31.48%)
Josh Perry: 4,981 (51.14%)
Hamilton Southeastern School Board, District 3
(R) David Turk: 5,101 (46.97%)
Michelle Fullhart: 5,760 (53.03%)
Hamilton Southeastern School Board, District 4
(I) Stephanie Braden: 8,952 (100.00%)
Westfield Washington School Board At Large
(R) Amber Huff Willis: 12,835 (51.87%)
(D) Gabriel Crawford-Paree: 11,910 (48.13%)
Westfield Washington School Board, District 2
(R) William Wayne Anderson: 16,324 (100.00%)
Westfield Washington School Board, District 4
(R) Rebecca L. Ogle: 13,373 (63.12%)
Steven Castle: 7,814 (36.88%)
Sheridan School Board At Large
Nancy Boone: 1,379 (100.00%)
Sheridan School Board, Adams Township (Vote for 2)
(I) Tyler Henning: 973 (51.81%)
Kim Zachery: 905 (48.19%)
Court of Appeals District 4 – Retain DeBoer
Yes: 88,681 (78.44%)
No: 24,373 (21.56%)
Court of Appeals District 5 – Retain Felix
Yes: 86,707 (76.77%)
No: 26,231 (23.23%)
Court of Appeals District 2 – Retain Kenworthy
Yes: 88,330 (78.84%)
No: 23,709 (21.16%)
Indiana Tax Court – Retain McAdam
Yes: 86,226 (77.04%)
No: 25,700 (22.96%)
Straight-party votes: Republican 35,038; Democratic 29,868; Libertarian 26; Lincoln 3