In 75 cities, voters threw out 13 incumbent mayors and opted to switch parties in 14 more, headlined by the victory of Democrat Joe Hogsett in Indianapolis.
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In the GOP stronghold of Fort Wayne, Democratic Mayor Tom Henry won a third term leading the state’s second-largest city, defeating Republican City Councilman Mitch Harper with about 57 percent of the vote, according to unofficial tallies.
Voters in cities across Indiana will select mayors and council members in this week’s upcoming municipal elections.
Meanwhile, former congressman Lee Hamilton’s nephew, John Hamilton, is on the ballot in Bloomington as the Democratic nominee.
Both campaigned on shifting the city’s economic development focus from downtown to outlying neighborhoods and seeking additional police officers to combat crime, as shooting incidents are up about 20 percent from a year ago.
Winning the Mitchell City Council at large seat was Democrat William “Bill” Arnold with 613 votes, followed by David Hall with 306 and Independent William Erdle with 169.
Three-term Democratic Mayor Mark Kruzan (kroo-ZAN’) didn’t seek re-election. Henry is being backed by business groups for a third term in the typically Republican-leaning city. The candidates have clashed over Bennett’s financial leadership of the city that faces a multimillion-dollar general fund deficit. The pair tracked within 30 votes of one another for much of Tuesday evening, with Evans eventually breaking away to finish with 54 percent of the vote.
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is facing voters for the first time since he came out as gay in June.
The Democrat’s announcement drew scant discussion during his campaign against Republican Kelly Jones, a little-known jewelry maker. Election officials hope good weather will encourage more people to head to the polls Tuesday. Brewer’s vote totals weren’t able to close the gap.
Tucker says voting began at the library three hours late once the meeting room was unlocked.
Two area Republicans who unseated incumbent mayors in the primary cruised to final victory, with Lebanon’s Matt Gentry rolling up 65% of the vote and Martinsville’s Shannon Kohl topping 90%.
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Republicans were reelected easily in Evansville and narrowly in Terre Haute, where Mayor Duke Bennett eked out a 315-vote win over Mark Bird, the brother of basketball legend Larry Bird.
