Hancock County Council, District 2

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]

Hancock 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 county's council has no budget lines of its own (department 0061); council pay is probably budgeted under the commissioners or another department.

Also on the record for this office

• SEA 1 estimated county-unit revenue change in 2028 vs prior law: $-2,786,260 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): discussed
• wheel tax: none found
• fiscal consultant named in records: FSG

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

• Hancock County (county seat: Greenfield) has a three-member Board of Commissioners, which handles county administration and ordinances, and a seven-member County Council, which holds the county's fiscal powers. Four council members are elected from districts and three at large, all to staggered four-year terms ^{[31, 22]}.
• Each council district elects one member; this race is decided by District 2 voters only ^[22].
• Data centers have been the most contested local issue in 2026. In June 2026 the commissioners adopted Ordinance 2026-6E, which limits data centers to Industrial General zoning and adds an overlay approval process requiring commissioner resolutions before and after a Plan Commission hearing. A citizens' advisory committee met from May to September 2026; in August it voted 5-3 against recommending a moratorium, and its final report was delivered Sept. 10, 2026. In August 2026 the commissioners introduced a letter of intent from EQT Real Estate for a data center campus at County Roads 500N and 500W, and residents spoke against it at several meetings ^{[32, 33, 34, 35]}.
• Budget and taxes: in January 2026 the council voted 7-0 to cap the total county property-tax rate at.2769 for 2026 and to pursue a 2026 general obligation bond (later raised to $6.8 million) for courthouse windows, sheriff cars, 911 radios and other items. Through 2026 the council and its budget committee discussed future state tax changes, how local income tax (LIT) will be divided with cities and towns, and funding for the jail recovery program; the commissioners held a hearing and adopted a LIT ordinance change (Ordinance 2026-8B) on Sept. 1, 2026 ^{[27, 25, 28, 36, 37]}.
• Tax abatements: in August 2026 the council reviewed abatement compliance filings for several warehouse and industrial properties, suspending two abatements for one year and approving others, some on split votes ^[30].
• Open seat: incumbent Mary Noe did not appear on the May 2026 primary ballot. Marcia Moore won the Republican primary over Grant Crider, 835 votes (51.86%) to 775 (48.14%). No Democrat filed ^[24].
• Libertarian Luke J. Lomax filed on Feb. 5, 2026 ^[38]. Lomax ran for an at-large council seat in 2024, receiving 5,331 votes ^[39].
• The candidates differ on economic development: Lomax opposes tax abatements and TIF districts, while Moore's positions on abatements were not found in sources reviewed ^[40].
• No candidate forums or debates for this race were found in sources reviewed.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Data centers have been the most contested local issue in 2026. (Hancock County, Indiana)
• Hancock County government adopted a $97.1 million budget for 2026, about $1,067 per resident; that is +14.7% 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 -13.3% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources