(Southeastern IN) – The people have spoken, and we now know who will be holding local offices following Tuesday’s election.
In the contested races in Decatur County, Democrat Dennis Fogle defeated Republican incumbent David Israel in the Clay Township Trustee race. Republican Larry Heger wins the County Council District 4 race. Fellow Republicans James Stewart, Alan Wayne Campbell and Darren Covington were elected to the Washington Township Board. And Todd Maurer and Nicholas Messer won contested races for Decatur County Community School Board in Districts B and C, respectively.
Rob Shane won election to the Batesville School Board District 4 seat over Carla Kemper Austin, Independent candidate Rob Wagner, and Democrat Ken Baran. This is the first election school board candidates in Indiana can declare party affiliation. Voters in Ripley and Franklin counties cast ballots in that race. Also winning a multi-county (Ripley and Dearborn) school board race was incumbent Joseph Bulach in Sunman-Dearborn District 1 over Michael Norman, who was looking to regain that seat.
In Franklin County, Republican Adam Henson was elected sheriff with 82 percent of the vote over Independent Lucas Dakota Richardson. Henson succeeds Pete Cates, who was term-limited. Bob Evans was elected to the District 2 County Commissioner seat after pulling in 75 percent. Irv Vonderheide is back as Brookville Township Trustee. The three GOP candidates running for Brookville Township Board – Roger Bommer, Gary Dorrel and Cindy Kay Hall – all won. And Jeffrey Dorrell, Sara Duffy and Kevin Kaiser were elected to At Large seats on the Franklin County School Board.
The only contested race in Ripley County – other than the ones for the Batesville and Sunman-Dearborn school boards – was for Otter Creek Township Trustee. Republican Brandi Brunner claimed that race with 77 percent of the vote, while Democrat Cynthia Melton garnered 23 percent.
As for Indiana House races, Lindsay Patterson will serve a third term in District 55 after she was challenged for a second time by Democrat Victoria Martz. Alex Zimmerman returns in District 67 following a challenge from Justin Chadwick. Jennifer Meltzer wins another term in House District 73 after she was challenged by Allen Miller. And incumbent Republican Garrett Bascom is the winner in District 68 over Hunter Collins.
In local State Senate contested races, the area winners were GOP incumbents Randy Maxwell in District 43 over Byron Holland, and Jeff Raatz downed challenger Ronald Itnyre in District 27.
And Republican incumbent Erin Houchin defeated a crowded field for a term as Ninth Congressional District representative.
Voter turnout was heavy across the area for a midterm/non-presidential election, with some polling places staying open until past 6 p.m. to accommodate voters still in line.
Forty-three percent of registered voters cast ballots in Franklin County.
Decatur County had a voter turnout of 39 percent.
And 37 percent of Ripley County voters showed up at the polls
You can check results on the 2026 General Election Coverage tab on wrbiradio.com.
