Clark County Council, District 4

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]

Clark 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.

Also on the record for this office

• SEA 1 estimated county-unit revenue change in 2028 vs prior law: $-3,819,920 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): convened
• wheel tax: none found
• 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.

About this race

• Clark County (county seat: Jeffersonville) has a seven-member council: four members elected by district and three at large. District members must live in the district and are elected only by that district's voters ^{[22, 23]}.
• District 4 covers Bethlehem, Charlestown (precincts 1–8), Oregon, Owen, Utica (precincts 1–4) and Washington townships plus Jeffersonville precincts 21–23 ^[22].
• Open seat: incumbent Republican Steve Doherty did not file; the February 2026 filing list for District 4 named David Abbott (R), Nate Combs (R) and Christina Gilkey (D) ^[24]. No reason for Doherty's departure was found.
• May 5, 2026 primaries (official results): Republican — Nate Combs 1,549 votes (58.17%), David Ray Abbott 1,114 (41.83%); Democratic — Christina Gilkey unopposed with 1,612 votes ^[25].
• Budget context: SEA 1 restructured property and local income taxes. In 2025 council leadership said the county would have to tighten spending, and some department requests went unfunded ^[26]. In 2026 the council imposed a hiring freeze while it evaluated the law's effects, and its leaders said they would not rely on roughly $2.95 million in ICE detention revenue for regular operations ^[27].
• Neither candidate had a campaign website as of September 2026, according to The Ballot Brief ^[28]. No candidate forums or debates for this race were found in sources reviewed.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• District 4 covers Bethlehem, Charlestown (precincts 1–8), Oregon, Owen, Utica (precincts 1–4) and Washington townships plus Jeffersonville precincts 21–23. (Clark County Clerk of Courts)
• Clark County government adopted a $77.3 million budget for 2026, about $593 per resident; that is +21.8% 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 -12.1% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources