Jackson 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]

Jackson 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: $-1,153,940 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): named reps
• wheel tax: adopted
• fiscal consultant named in records: Reedy

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

• District 2 seat; Jacquelyn Hackman Jasinski (Republican incumbent) faces Edward Bowen (Democrat) ^[10].
• Jackson County (county seat: Brownstown; largest city: Seymour) has a seven-member council: four district members and three at large. District 2 includes the Driftwood, Grassy Fork, Jackson 4 South, Jackson 6, Jackson 7, Vernon and Washington precincts ^[22].
• May 5, 2026 primaries (unofficial county results): Jasinski was unopposed for the Republican nomination with 1,266 votes; Bowen was unopposed for the Democratic nomination with 168 votes ^[24].
• Budget: on Oct. 15, 2025 the council adopted the 2026 county budget of $34,005,696 by a 6-0 vote; the county's human resources director said it includes a 3% pay increase. The same day the council approved a bond ordinance for up to $5 million for facility improvements and equipment and $120,000 from the LIT Correctional Facility fund for inmate medical costs ^[25].
• Roads and wheel tax: Purdue's Local Technical Assistance Program told the council on Aug. 4, 2026 that counties must adopt a wheel tax and excise surtax by Sept. 1 to receive new Lane Mile Direct Distribution road funding, and that $20 rates could raise about $865,000 a year; the county maintains about 738 miles of road and more than 180 bridges ^[28]. On Aug. 19, 2026 the council adopted $20 flat rates, 7-0, effective Jan. 1, 2027, with annual review ^{[27, 26]}.
• Local income tax: in July 2026 the council named Brian Thompson to the Municipal Unit Strategic Task Force created under the state's new local income tax rules ^[26]; in August he reported working with Reedy Financial on a tax model for the task force ^[27].
• No general-election candidate forums for this race were found in sources reviewed.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Jackson County (county seat: Brownstown; largest city: Seymour) has a seven-member council: four district members and three at large. District 2 includes the Driftwood, Grassy Fork, Jackson 4 South, Jackson 6, Jackson 7, Vernon and Washington precincts. (Jackson County, Indiana)
• Jackson County government adopted a $42.1 million budget for 2026, about $888 per resident; that is +16.4% 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 -8.7% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources