As a one-person news operation, I had a choice to make on election night. I could make the rounds and talk to candidates, or I could stay put and keep the vote counts current for readers following along at LarryInFishers.com. I chose to stay put.

My thanks to the Hamilton County Election Office. Staff sent me updated counts throughout the evening, and I posted them as they came in. I started with the Hamilton Southeastern Schools referendum and school board races. As more precincts reported, I widened my coverage. There was a lot more going on than I had expected.

By the end of election night, the county had reported results from all 234 precincts. The unofficial tally showed 150,804 ballots cast, or just under 52% of registered voters.

HSE voters approve funding and change the board

The HSE operating referendum passed with 58.33% support. It replaces the operating referendum voters approved in 2023. The district says teacher salaries and benefits account for more than 97% of its 2026 referendum budget. Carmel Clay, Noblesville and Westfield Washington voters also approved their school funding measures.

I’ll be watching Sheridan Community Schools and Tipton Community School Corporation, where voters turned down operating referendums. The next decisions will come at budget meetings, as school leaders sort out what they can keep and where they may need to cut.

Four of the seven HSE School Board seats will change hands in January. None of the incumbents sought reelection to the board. Greg Wright won in District 1, Josh Perry in District 2 and Michelle Fullhart in District 3. Stephanie Braden ran unopposed in District 4. For Fullhart, it’s a return to a board where she previously served two terms.

From Congress to the Statehouse

Democrat J.D. Ford defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. Ford drew nearly 52% districtwide and just over 55% in Hamilton County. The result stood out because Donald Trump carried the district by nearly 17 percentage points two years earlier. There’s a whole column to be written about that race alone.

The defeat of Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston surprised me. His TV ads caught my attention before Election Day and made me wonder how close the race might be. Democrat Lauren Cole finished 786 votes ahead of Huston in the unofficial count for House District 37. Democrat Stephanie Jo Yocum defeated Republican incumbent Chris Jeter in House District 88. And in Senate District 31, Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal, a Democrat, defeated Republican Juanita Albright for the seat Kyle Walker chose not to seek again.

The changes closer to home

Democrat Charles Hollowell defeated Republican Dustin Dixon for Hamilton County sheriff. Democrats Christopher Daniel, Nathan Bullock and Jason Frank won three of the four County Council seats on the ballot. Republican Mark Hall held his District 3 seat. In the county commissioner race, Republican Christine Altman won another term by just 323 votes over Democrat Ti’Gre McNear in the election-night count.

Democrat Emily Angel Shaw defeated Republican Danica Eyler for Superior Court No. 8. Democrat Alexandra Wilson defeated Republican Beth Sheller for circuit court clerk. That puts Wilson on the three-member County Election Board as its secretary.

The shift reached the township races, too. Democrat Stephanie Hunt unseated Republican Doug Allman as Fall Creek Township trustee, and Democrats won all three seats on the township board. In Delaware Township, Republican Trustee Debbie Driskell ran unopposed, while Democrats won all three township board seats.

The Hamilton County Election Board is scheduled to review provisional ballots and certify the county’s results at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at the clerk’s office in Noblesville.

When I moved to Hamilton County in 1991, I would have had a hard time imagining a night when Democrats won the sheriff’s race and three County Council seats on the same ballot. In January, I’ll be watching how that new mix of officeholders works together, starting with the decisions they make about county spending.

Thank you to everyone who followed the returns on the site and took the time to tell me the updates helped. It was a busy night in Hamilton County. I’m glad I stayed put.