Henry County Council, District 3

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]

Henry 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: $-1,191,000 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): consultant hired
• 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

• Henry County (county seat: New Castle) has a seven-member council: four district members and three at-large members, all Republicans in 2026. The council meets on the second Wednesday of each month ^[22].
• Budget and taxes: in January 2026 the council was told the county's excess levy appeal was approved, adding $1,223,904 to the 2026 maximum levy and about $1,047,803 each year after, with the general-fund share available for bridge work ^[23]. In September 2025 the council rejected an ordinance to raise the EMS local income tax after proposing a rate of 0.1% in July ^{[27, 26]}.
• SEA 1 and the youth center: at a May 20, 2026 joint meeting on reopening the county youth center (closed juvenile detention facility), Council President Chad Malicoat said he was concerned that under SEA 1 the county lacks room to raise enough taxes to fund it; commissioners began drafting a request for proposals for an outside operator ^[34].
• Other issues on the council's 2025-2026 agendas include jail LIT spending on inmate medical costs, bridge and culvert funding, and requests for food-and-beverage tax money from local groups ^{[29, 32, 33]}.
• Thom and Democrat Angela Mahaffey were the only candidates who filed in their parties' District 3 primaries ^[35]. No general-election forum or debate for this race was found.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Budget and taxes: in January 2026 the council was told the county's excess levy appeal was approved, adding $1,223,904 to the 2026 maximum levy and about $1,047,803 each year after, with the general-fund share available for bridge work. (Henry County, Indiana)
• Henry County government adopted a $41.3 million budget for 2026, about $840 per resident; that is +22.7% 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 -8.1% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources