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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Dubois County Sheriff

Voted on across Dubois County. Open seat: Tom Kleinhelter is not on the ballot.

Find your exact ballotAll Dubois County races

What this office does

The sheriff is an elected county officer created by the Indiana Constitution who arrests offenders, keeps the peace, serves court papers, keeps order in county courts and runs the county jail [1, 2]. The Indiana Sheriffs' Association describes sheriffs as constitutional officers elected by the people, whose work includes operating jails, serving civil process, providing court security and coordinating emergency response [3]. Every county elects its sheriff in 2026 for a four-year term, and no one may serve as sheriff more than eight years in any twelve-year period [1].

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; the sheriff serves until a successor is elected and qualified [4, 1]
Elected
Countywide by the county's voters on the partisan general election ballot; all county sheriffs are elected in 2026 [1]
Term limit
No more than eight years in any period of twelve years (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; a sheriff who moves out of the county forfeits the office [1, 4]
Pay
A county may pay the sheriff a salary from the county general fund of at least 50% to 100% of the state minimum salary of a full-time prosecuting attorney, depending on county population [5]
On the 2026 ballot
92 races; 26 contested [6]
What the law puts in this job (13)
  • Arrests without a warrant people who commit an offense in the sheriff's view, brings them before a county court, and holds them while the arrest is investigated [2].
  • Suppresses breaches of the peace and pursues and jails felons [2].
  • Takes care of the county jail and the prisoners held there [2, 3].
  • Serves and carries out legal papers (process) directed to the sheriff by courts and the county commissioners [2].
  • Attends and keeps order in all courts of the county, which the Sheriffs' Association describes as providing court security [2, 3].
  • Takes photographs, fingerprints and other identification data from people held for crimes, and DNA samples for felonies [2].
  • Reports twice a year to the Indiana Department of Correction the average daily cost of holding a jail prisoner [2].
  • Holds state prisoners, including people convicted of Level 6 felonies, in the county jail, for which the state reimburses counties at a daily rate set in the state budget [7].
  • Coordinates emergency response and works with local police, prosecutors and community partners [3].
  • In a county whose council creates a sheriff's merit board by ordinance, appoints three of its five members, while the county police officers elect the other two; no more than two sheriff appointees and one elected member may belong to the same party [8].
  • Must report information to federal authorities when a person arrested for a felony or misdemeanor is believed to lack legal immigration status, and, since July 2026, notify the judge setting bail when holding a person subject to an immigration detainer [9, 10].
  • May supervise and inspect businesses such as pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers [2].
  • What the sheriff does not control: the county commissioners must establish and maintain the county jail building [11]; the county makes the appropriation for feeding prisoners and sets the sheriff's salary [5]; the prosecuting attorney decides which crimes to prosecute [12]; and judges decide bail [13].

Dubois 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

$2,376,095

6.2% of the county's adopted 2026 budget · 71% more than 2019, before inflation

2019: $1,391,5622020: $1,530,1112021: $1,571,4472022: $1,630,4212023: $1,707,2432024: $2,387,5942025: $2,438,2992026: $2,376,095
2019 $1,391,5622026 $2,376,095
The year-by-year figures

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

  • 2019: $1,391,562
  • 2020: $1,530,111
  • 2021: $1,571,447
  • 2022: $1,630,421
  • 2023: $1,707,243
  • 2024: $2,387,594
  • 2025: $2,438,299
  • 2026: $2,376,095

Budget lines counted: 0005 COUNTY SHERIFF

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

Elected official's pay, 2026 budget line

$146,811

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

Budgeted separately, not included above: jail/detention center (depts 0380, 0381), $2.7 million.

  • Counties budget the jail differently: some put jail costs in the sheriff's department, others in a separate jail department. Compare the sheriff and jail together across counties.

Also on the record for this office

  • rated capacity: 84.0
  • latest jail count: 76
  • count date: 2024 (Vera v3.1)
  • IDOC holds: 6
  • IDOC holds date: 2026-08-01
  • federal (USMS/ICE) housing: not found
  • jail operating budget 2026: 5326455.0
  • sheriff dept actual 2025: 2287473.0
  • jail actual 2025: 2545248.0
  • jail project: [Vera jail-construction file, unverified] 2020 New Jail (Passed, $34.0M, beds 81->270)

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.

Jail cost per inmate-day · 2025 spend / 2024 ADP

$91.75

2025 jail spending divided by the 2024 average daily population times 365.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: partial: the sheriff runs the jail and staffs it; the council funds it; state jail standards set minimum staffing; courts and prosecutors drive how many people are held

Position 4 of 21 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Average daily jail population · 2024

76

People held on an average day.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: partial: jail population depends on arrests, charging, bail and sentencing decisions by police, prosecutors and judges; the sheriff manages housing and transfers

Position 30 of 34 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Share of people in jail awaiting trial · 2019

46.0%

People held before trial as a share of the jail population.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low to partial for the sheriff: pretrial detention is decided by courts (bail) and prosecutors (charging); the county funds pretrial services

Position 27 of 32 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Reported crimes per 1,000 residents · 2025

3.8

Offenses reported by police agencies county-wide (agencies with full-year reporting), not only the sheriff's office.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low to partial: the sheriff patrols mainly unincorporated areas; city and town police cover most residents in larger counties

Position 20 of 28 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source

About this race

  • This is an open seat: Sheriff Kleinhelter is barred by term limits from seeking another term [17].
  • Three Republicans sought the nomination in the May 5, 2026 primary: school resource officer Tim Lampert, Chief Deputy Jesus Monarrez and state trooper Brian LaRoche. In a Dubois County Free Press questionnaire, all three answered questions on jail programs, staffing, school safety and community relations [17].
  • Lampert won the Republican nomination with about 61% of the vote in uncertified results, ahead of Monarrez (about 25%) and LaRoche (about 14%) [18].
  • Deputy Tim Rasche entered the race as an independent in July 2026 [19]. Both general-election candidates are longtime employees of the sheriff's department [19, 20].
  • No general-election forum or debate between Lampert and Rasche was found in available coverage.

Candidates on the ballot

Tim D. Lampert

Republican

Tim Lampert is a school resource officer with 35 years in the Dubois County Sheriff's Department, including eight years as chief deputy starting in 2011; he won the May 2026 Republican primary [20, 18].

Lampert's background

  • School resource officer with the Dubois County Sheriff's Department; started as a jail officer in 1990, became a road deputy in 1994, and served as chief deputy for eight years beginning in 2011 [20].
  • Certified general instructor, firearms instructor and ALICE active-shooter instructor; licensed teacher through the Indiana Department of Education's Workplace Specialist program [21].
  • Has served on the multi-agency emergency response team, the Substance Abuse Council and the 911 Advisory Board [21].

Lampert's positions

Jail & corrections

  • Supports expanding substance-abuse treatment and programs such as RISE in the jail, and better coordination with community partners so people leaving jail are connected to services; said 'when individuals are released without a plan, they are more likely to reoffend' [17].

Staffing & pay

  • Pledged ongoing training and cross-training and said 'I want every deputy and jail officer to know that I have their back' [17].

Budget

  • Pledged to pursue state and federal grants to reduce local taxpayer costs [20].
  • Said 'There will be no gray areas when it comes to misuse of public funds, equipment, or time,' with clear policies, oversight and accurate records [17].

Drugs

  • Named drugs and mental health as top public-safety challenges and called for accountability paired with treatment and reentry support [17].

School safety

  • Said 'I would like to add another School Resource Officer' and wants cross-training so deputies can cover schools [17].

Transparency

  • Pledged that retaliation against people who report misconduct in good faith 'will not be tolerated,' with clear policies and multiple reporting channels [17].

How Lampert would run the office

  • Expand Coffee with a Cop to all levels of staff and make deputies visible at community events [17].
  • Work with groups such as the Justice Reinvestment Advisory Committee, the Dubois County Community Foundation and CARES on addiction and mental-health programs for people after incarceration [21].

Lampert on the current officeholder

  • In the primary questionnaire, said trust needs to be built both inside the department and with the public; he did not name Sheriff Kleinhelter [17].

How Lampert got on the ballot

  • Announced in February 2025 and filed in January 2026 [21, 20].
  • Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary with about 61% of the vote over Jesus Monarrez and Brian LaRoche (uncertified results) [18].

What we could not find about Lampert

  • Certified primary vote totals could not be confirmed from freely available sources; the percentages shown are from uncertified results.
  • No campaign website found; no general-election forum statements found.
  • No stated position found on immigration enforcement.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance totals were found in available coverage.

Sources for Lampert

Tim A. Rasche

Independent

Tim Rasche is a Dubois County deputy sheriff and field training officer who served as chief jailer from 2000 to 2004; he is running as an independent [19].

Rasche's background

  • Deputy sheriff with the Dubois County Sheriff's Department; his announcement says he has served the department for 32 years, including six years as a corrections officer and four years as chief jailer (2000–2004), and has been a field training officer for the past 10 years [19].
  • U.S. Army veteran who also served in the Army Reserve and Indiana National Guard; studied law enforcement at Vincennes University [19].
  • Member of the Fraternal Order of Police; has been drill instructor at the department's Kids Camp for 14 years [19].

Rasche's positions

Jail & corrections

  • Says that as chief jailer from 2000 to 2004 he managed the jail during 'one of the most overcrowded periods' [19].

Budget

  • Says he wants the office to operate 'as efficiently and effectively as possible while being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars,' including pursuing every grant opportunity and evaluating how the department does business [19].

How Rasche would run the office

  • Review department operations and make practical changes to improve efficiency without reducing service quality [19].

Rasche on the current officeholder

  • Has said he values 'honoring the traditions of our department,' having served under four sheriffs; no statements about Sheriff Kleinhelter's record were found [19].

How Rasche got on the ballot

  • Announced as an independent candidate in July 2026 [19]; listed on the general-election ballot as an independent [6].

What we could not find about Rasche

  • His announcement gives both 32 years with the department and 22 years as a deputy sheriff; the article does not reconcile these figures (the difference may reflect his corrections and jail service).
  • No campaign website, questionnaire answers or forum appearances were found; coverage is limited to his July 2026 announcement.
  • No stated positions found on staffing and pay, drugs, school safety, immigration enforcement or public-resource oversight.
  • Independent ballot access (petition) details were not found.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance totals were found in available coverage.

Sources for Rasche

Key points

  • This is an open seat: Sheriff Kleinhelter is barred by term limits from seeking another term. (Dubois County Free Press)
  • On Feb 23, 2026 the council agreed 6-1 to advertise funding two new deputy positions from General and LIT funds; members questioned SRO use and the sheriff was to research civilian SRO duties. (duboiscountyin.org)

Sources

Researched Sunday, October 11, 2026

  1. 2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (County Offices: County Sheriff) (Indiana Election Division)
  2. Indiana Code 36-2-13-5: Duties of sheriff (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  3. 2026 ISA President Statement (Jeffrey A. Balon, Porter County Sheriff) (Indiana Sheriffs' Association)
  4. Indiana Code 36-2-13-2: Sheriff residency and term (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  5. Indiana Code 36-2-13-2.8: Sheriff's salary (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  6. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  7. Indiana Department of Correction readies to pay $12 million in jail back payments (Indiana Capital Chronicle (via Inside INdiana Business))
  8. Indiana Code 36-8-10-3: Sheriff's merit board (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  9. Braun signs bill into law requiring jails to tell ICE about potential immigration violations (Network Indiana (via WMNC 95.3))
  10. Illegally in Indiana: New state law aims at cracking down on illegal immigration (WNDU)
  11. Indiana Code 36-2-2-24: County courthouse, jail and offices (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  12. Indiana Code 33-39-1-5: Duties of prosecuting attorneys (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  13. Amendment to deny bail to some offenders moves closer to November ballot (WFYI (via Indiana Public Media))
  14. Three Sheriff candidates vying for Republican nomination in Primary (Dubois County Free Press)
  15. Lampert thankful for strong family, community support (Dubois County Free Press)
  16. Tim Rasche running as Independent for Dubois County Sheriff (Dubois County Free Press)
  17. Tim Lampert files candidacy for Dubois County Sheriff (Dubois County Free Press)
  18. Tim Lampert announces candidacy for Dubois County Sheriff (Dubois County Free Press)
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.