2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Boone County Council, District 2

Voted on across Boone County, in district 2. Open seat: John Riner is not on the ballot.

Find your exact ballot All Boone County races

Who votes on this seat: Only voters who live in District 2 vote in this race. 2026 General Election Candidate List

What this office does

The county council is the county's fiscal body: it sets the county property tax rate, appropriates the money the county spends and fixes the pay and number of county employees ^{[1, 2, 3]}. Most councils have seven members, four elected from districts and three elected countywide (at large), though some larger counties elect all members by district ^{[1, 4]}. The board of commissioners runs county government day to day, while the council controls the money ^{[5, 6]}. Marion County has no separate county council; the 25-member Indianapolis City-County Council serves as the legislative body for the consolidated city-county government ^{[7, 8]}.

The job in full — the duties the Indiana Code puts in it, the term, what it pays and who sets that, and what to ask a candidate.

Term: 4 years, starting January 1 after the election; district seats and at-large seats are filled at alternating general elections ^[9]
Elected: On the partisan general-election ballot; in most counties four members are elected by district voters and three at large by the whole county, while counties of 400,000–700,000 residents elect seven members by district and opt-in counties of 185,000–300,000 elect nine by district ^{[4, 1]}. Every county council race on the 2026 state candidate list is a district seat ^[10]
At-large races: All three at-large seats are filled at the same election, so voters may choose up to three candidates and the top three vote-getters win; straight-ticket votes do not count in these multi-seat races ^{[4, 11]}
Term limit: None stated; the statute that sets the four-year term does not limit how many terms a member may serve ^[9]
Qualifications: Must have lived in the county at least one year, and in the district (for a district seat) at least six months, before the election, and be registered to vote in the election district; a county employee who is elected must leave that county job on taking office ^{[12, 13]}
Pay: Set locally in the council's annual ordinance fixing the compensation of county officers and employees ^{[3, 14]}
On the 2026 ballot: 368 races; 147 contested ^[10]

What the law puts in this job (13)

Serves as the county fiscal body under the name of the county council ^[1].
Sets the county property tax rate and other countywide rates not fixed by state law ^[2].
Appropriates county money; except as otherwise provided by law, money may leave the county treasury only under an appropriation the council makes ^[2].
Adopts the annual budget at a yearly meeting where the county auditor presents budget estimates; budget ordinances must be read on two separate days, and funding an item above the estimates takes a three-fourths vote ^[14].
Adopts a separate salary ordinance setting the pay of county officers and employees and the number of deputies and employees in each office, after considering the commissioners' recommendations ^{[14, 3]}.
Sets pay schedules and job classifications paid from the county general, highway, park and other funds, except that each local health department board sets pay for its own staff ^[3].
Controls spending and revenue collection in the county, including special spending requests during the year ^[6].
Authorizes by ordinance the bonds that fund county road and bridge projects and can create a county housing authority by resolution ^[8].
Serves as the county legislative body as well as the fiscal body in Lake and St. Joseph counties ^[8].
Declares a commissioner's seat vacant when the commissioner moves out of the county or district, and in certain cases can remove a county commissioner from office ^{[15, 13]}.
Becomes the body that adopts county local income tax rates under the 2025 SEA 1 overhaul, replacing local income tax councils; the change is now scheduled for ordinances adopted starting July 1, 2028 ^{[16, 17]}.
Has its adopted budget, tax rate and levies reviewed by the state Department of Local Government Finance, whose county budget order certifies the approved budget, tax rate and levy for each fund ^[18].
Does not run county departments day to day; the commissioners provide administrative oversight and the council provides fiduciary oversight ^[5].

Boone County's numbers for this office

Legal Insights county office research (Oct. 13, 2026): Indiana Gateway budgets 2019-2026 and the indicator sources linked on each line.

This office's 2026 budget

$1,998,427

2.6% of the county's adopted 2026 budget · 53% more than 2019, before inflation

2019 $1,309,9372026 $1,998,427

The year-by-year figures

Adopted budget, all funds, 2019-2026 (not adjusted for inflation)

2019: $1,309,937
2020: $1,446,368
2021: $1,312,668
2022: $1,323,613
2023: $2,460,157
2024: $2,938,993
2025: $1,679,618
2026: $1,998,427

Budget lines counted: 0061 COUNTY COUNCIL

Adopted 2026 county budget (Form 1 line items, Form 4B) and earlier years' budgets

All members combined, 2026 budget lines (presidents are often paid more)

$96,427

From the county budget; verify against the county's 2026 salary ordinance. A line can include longevity pay or a second role.

Also on the record for this office

SEA 1 estimated county-unit revenue change in 2028 vs prior law: $-2,296,440 (LSA)
MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): consultant hired
wheel tax: discussed
fiscal consultant named in records: Baker Tilly

Measured, for this county

A position compares this county with counties of similar size. It is not a grade: for most measures a higher or lower number is neither good nor bad on its own.

General Fund cash, in days of spending · 2025

252 days

End-of-2025 General Fund cash divided by a year's disbursements, times 365.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council and commissioners jointly): spending and appropriation decisions

Position 8 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Share of the 2025 General Fund budget spent · 2025

104.6%

Actual General Fund spending divided by the certified budget.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council appropriates; commissioners and officers spend)

Position 2 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

County debt per resident · 2025

$552

Debt outstanding at the end of 2025 (annual financial report).

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council authorizes borrowing; commissioners initiate many projects)

Position 3 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Budget growth, 2023 to 2026 · 2023-2026

+48.8%

Adopted budget, all funds, not adjusted for inflation.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council adopts the budget)

Position 2 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

SEA 1 estimate for 2028 · 2028 (LSA estimate)

-11.4%

Legislative Services Agency estimate of the county government's revenue change under the 2025 property tax law, compared with prior law.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: set by state law (SEA 1-2025); local rate choices from 2028 change the outcome

Position 13 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source

Property tax cap credits · 2026

5.6%

Tax-cap (circuit breaker) credits as a share of the 2026 levy: revenue the county does not collect because of the caps.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: set mainly by the constitutional caps and the combined rates of all units in the county

Position 14 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Local income tax share of county revenue · 2026

62.8%

How much of the county's revenue comes from local income tax.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: partial: the council adopts local income tax rates within limits set by state law

Position 2 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Meeting minutes online · 2026-10

Agendas only

Whether the council's or commissioners' minutes are posted online (the better of the two), checked Oct. 2026.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (commissioners and council decide what they post)

About this race

Boone County (county seat: Lebanon; includes Zionsville and Whitestown) is in the middle of rapid growth around the state-led LEAP district near Lebanon. In January 2025 the Lebanon Reporter described LEAP as a high-tech development on about 9,000 acres of former farm and residential land, reported that the Indiana Economic Development Corp. had asked Lebanon to annex more than 7,000 acres, and said the council had approved funding for a $59 million justice center that includes the jail ^[25].
The Boone County Council has four district members and three at-large members; district members run by district. The council sets budgets, tax rates and salaries ^{[22, 25]}.
Open seat: incumbent John Riner did not appear on the 2026 primary ballot. Gretchen Smith won the Republican primary over John W. Hume, 952 votes (51.88%) to 883 (48.12%). Kevin W. Prather was unopposed for the Democratic nomination with 567 votes ^[24].
No candidate forums or debates were found in sources reviewed. Published positions from either candidate could not be read.

Candidates on the ballot

Kevin W Prather

Democratic

Democrat Kevin Prather was unopposed in the May 2026 Democratic primary for District 2. His BallotReady profile lists work managing international programs at Rolls-Royce; no positions were found ^{[24, 28]}.

Prather's background

His BallotReady candidate profile lists his work as managing international programs at Rolls-Royce ^[28].

Prather on the current officeholder

Open seat. No statements by Prather about the council's direction were found.

How Prather got on the ballot

Unopposed in the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary, with 567 votes ^[24].

What we could not find about Prather

No campaign website, questionnaire answers or news coverage found; positions unknown, and work history comes only from a self-reported BallotReady profile.
Coverage is much thinner than for his opponent.
No campaign website or published plan was found.
No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Prather

2026 Primary Election Summary Report (Final) (Boone County, Indiana)

Gretchen Smith

Republican

Republican Gretchen Smith won a close May 2026 Republican primary for District 2. Her background could not be confirmed from freely available sources ^[24].

Smith's background

Her occupation and background were not confirmed in sources reviewed.

Smith on the current officeholder

Open seat. No statements by Smith about the council's direction were found on pages that could be read.

How Smith got on the ballot

Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over John W. Hume, 952 votes (51.88%) to 883 (48.12%) ^[24].

What we could not find about Smith

Possible match, not confirmed: State Board of Accounts audit reports list a Gretchen Smith as Boone County auditor for the term Jan. 1, 2005 – Dec. 31, 2008 ^{[26, 27]}. No source reviewed confirms this is the candidate.
Current's April 23, 2026 primary Q&A could not be reviewed for this profile.
Her current occupation and stated priorities could not be confirmed from freely available sources.
No campaign website or published plan was found.
No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Smith

2026 Primary Election Summary Report (Final) (Boone County, Indiana)

Key points

Boone County (county seat: Lebanon; includes Zionsville and Whitestown) is in the middle of rapid growth around the state-led LEAP district near Lebanon. (The Lebanon Reporter (via Yahoo News))
Boone County government adopted a $76.8 million budget for 2026, about $952 per resident; that is +48.8% compared with 2023. (Indiana Gateway for Government Units)
Legislative Services Agency estimate: the 2025 property tax law (SEA 1) changes the county government's net property tax levy by -11.4% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources

Researched Sunday, October 11, 2026

Indiana Code 36-2-3-2: County council as fiscal body; size (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-5-2: Tax rates and appropriations (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-5-3: Compensation of officers and employees (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-3-4: Council districts and at-large members (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Commissioners Responsibilities (Boone County, Indiana)
About the County Council (Hancock County, Indiana)
Indiana Code 36-2-3-1: Application of chapter (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
County Government Overview: Indiana (National Association of Counties (NACo))
Indiana Code 36-2-3-3: Election and term of fiscal body (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
Monroe County voters put three incumbent Democrats back on county council (The B Square Bulletin (Dave Askins))
Indiana Code 3-8-1-22: Candidates for county council (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (Indiana Election Division)
Indiana Code 36-2-5-11: Annual budget, tax rate and salary ordinances (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-2-5: Qualifications and residency of members; district or countywide election (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Major Changes to Expenditure Rate of LIT in SEA 1 (2025) (Barnes & Thornburg LLP)
Legislation Affecting Local Income Taxes (memorandum on HEA 1210-2026) (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
County Specific Information (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
Boone County Council: Council Districts (Boone County, Indiana)
2026 Primary Election Summary Report (Final) (Boone County, Indiana)
Political newcomers set to join Boone County Commissioners and Council for big year ahead (The Lebanon Reporter (via Yahoo News))
Audit Report of the Boone County Auditor (Report B32600) (Indiana State Board of Accounts)
Audit Report, Boone County (Report B28294) (Indiana State Board of Accounts)
Kevin W Prather (candidate profile) (BallotReady)

What's included: the U.S. House, statewide offices, every Indiana House and Senate district on the ballot, Indiana's statewide public questions and judicial retention questions, and county, township, city, town and school board races from the Indiana Election Division's candidate list.
Everything else: Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: IndianaVoters.in.gov.
Candidate lists: As of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
At the polls: Indiana law lets you bring a list of candidates and public questions into the polling place, including one stored on your phone, as long as you don't electioneer. IC 3-11-8-18.5

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.