Decatur County Recorder

What this office does

The county recorder is an elected county officer created by the Indiana Constitution. The recorder records and indexes deeds, mortgages, plats and other documents affecting land in the county and collects the fees for recording them ^{[1, 2]}.

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 ^[1]

Term limit

No more than eight years in any twelve-year period (Indiana Constitution, Article 6, Section 2) ^[1]

Qualifications

Must have lived in the county for at least one year before the election, be registered to vote in the county by the filing deadline, and file a statement of economic interests ^[3]

Pay and staff

Set by the county council, which also fixes the number of deputies and employees; the officer files a budget estimate each summer ^{[4, 5]}

On the 2026 ballot

54 counties; 14 contested (more candidates, including write-ins, than seats) ^[6]

What has changed in this job lately

Changes in the law the next officeholder will work under, most distant first.

1. 2026

   SB 169 amended the recorder fee and payment sections of state law ^[9].

Decatur 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.

• Includes $46,905 in funds named for the office (for example a commissary or perpetuation fund) that are not coded to its department.

About this race

• Only one candidate is on the ballot for this office ^[6].

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Only one candidate is on the ballot for this office. (Indiana Election Division)

Sources