Greene 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]

Greene 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: $-486,010 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): none found
• wheel tax: none found
• fiscal consultant named in records: C.L. Coonrod

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

• Greene County (county seat: Bloomfield) has a seven-member county council: four district members and three at-large members. The council approves budgets, sets salaries and fixes tax rates and levies ^[22].
• This race pits two sitting council members against each other. The county's council page lists Democrat John Wilkes as the District 4 member and Republican Ronald L. Lehman as the District 3 member, but the 2026 primary results place Lehman in the District 4 race; the page likewise lists Kelly Zimmerly as the District 2 member while she was on the 2026 District 3 primary ballot. The reason (such as outdated labels, a change of residence or district lines) was not found ^{[22, 25]}.
• Both nominees were unopposed in the May 5, 2026 primaries: Lehman with 784 Republican votes and Wilkes with 271 Democratic votes ^[25].
• Local income taxes: In October 2025 the council voted 4-2 (Lehman opposed) to add a 0.1% judicial income tax and raise the correctional facilities income tax from 0.2% to 0.3%; a 0.1% hospital income tax failed 3-3. In August 2026 a renewed 0.10% hospital tax for Greene County General Hospital failed 3-3-1, with Wilkes for and Lehman against, and the council instead voted 6-1 to loan the hospital $800,000 over two years ^{[29, 30, 28]}.
• Solar: In December 2025 the council approved a 10-year, 100% tax abatement for Geronimo Power's Worthington Solar project on roughly 1,600 acres in Fairplay Township, 4-2, with Lehman and Wilkes voting no. Residents at the public hearing raised concerns about farmland, water, electricity rates and what happens after the abatement ^[24].
• SEA 1 and planning: At a September 2025 joint meeting, Council President Kelly Zimmerly said that with the uncertainty of SEA 1 and the new local income tax structure taking effect in 2028, the council and commissioners needed to be 'on the same page' on projects for the next five years; commissioners described a wastewater treatment plant, roads for an industrial project and courthouse renovations ^[31].
• No candidate forums or debates were found in sources reviewed.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Greene County (county seat: Bloomfield) has a seven-member county council: four district members and three at-large members. The council approves budgets, sets salaries and fixes tax rates and levies. (Greene County, Indiana)
• Greene County government adopted a $36.1 million budget for 2026, about $1,160 per resident; that is +19.1% 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 -5.0% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources