North Vernon races
Republicans won five of the seven races in North Vernon’s municipal election, including mayor and four city council seats.
Mayor Mike Ochs, a Republican, won a second term with 65% of the vote, outdistancing Democrat Colleen J. Malone.
Republican challenger Baron Wilder defeated Democratic incumbent Connie Rayburn in the District 3 race by winning more than 53% of the votes.
Republican incumbents Jack Kelley (District 1) and Jerry Lamb (at-large) defeated Democratic challengers. Kelley received more than 58% of the vote against David Shaw. Lamb received more than 63% of the vote against Matt York.
Democrat Trent Wisner (District 2) and Republican Brian Hatfield (District 4) were unopposed, as was Democrat R. Shawn Gerkin for clerk-treasurer.
Edinburgh races
Incumbents prevailed in the races for town council and clerk-treasurer.
Incumbents Dawn Graham, a Republican (26%), Jeffrey Simpson, an independent (19%), and Miriam Rooks, a Republican (26%), won re-election to the Edinburgh Town Council by defeating independent Jacqueline Oltman (13%) and Republican Lewis Turner (14%).
Incumbent Clerk-Treasurer Scott Finley, an independent, (49%) defeated challengers Leah Futrell, a Republican (32%) and Zachary Pendleton, an independent (18%).
Other mayoral races
The Democratic mayors of Indianapolis and Fort Wayne cruised to easy victories, denying Republicans their hopes of capturing leadership in either of the state’s largest cities.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett declared victory over Republican state Sen. Jim Merritt in Tuesday’s local elections. Unofficial Marion County results showed Hogsett with 70% of the vote.
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry extended his 12-year tenure leading Indiana’s second-largest city with about 60% support.
Republicans picked up mayoral offices in Muncie and Kokomo where Democratic mayors didn’t seek new terms, while the Democratic candidate won the Elkhart mayor’s office given up by a GOP incumbent.
Vigo County voters backed a referendum allowing construction of a new casino in Terre Haute.
