Madison County Council, District 1

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]

Madison 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: $-4,236,580 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): none found
• wheel tax: none found
• fiscal consultant named in records: none found

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

• Madison County's seven-member council has four district seats and three at-large seats; the four district seats are on the 2026 ballot, and the state list's one seat for District 1 matches the county's primary results ^{[23, 24]}.
• Open seat: incumbent Bethany Keller did not file for re-election ^[23].
• Primary results (official): Republican — Cory Bohlander 1,390, Patrick J. Green 1,211; Democratic — Helen E. Wean 885, James (Jim) Jackson 575 ^[23].
• County context — budget: in summer 2025 the council worked to trim the 2026 general-fund budget; the advertised 2026 budget of $46.4 million exceeded projected revenue of $44.4 million by $2 million, and Council President Scott Green proposed drawing $1.5 million from the $17.9 million Rainy Day Fund, which the auditor warned could affect financing of the jail bond ^[25]. A 0.2% local income tax expected to raise about $5.4 million a year helps fund the jail ^[25].
• County context — jail: the commissioners approved the new jail construction contract in late 2024, financed with $80 million in bonds and $7 million in federal ARPA money; the total project is about $100 million, the main facility is due to finish in late 2026, and a 104-bed addition came in nearly $400,000 under its $7.3 million estimate ^[26]. The new jail is planned for 525 inmates versus 270 in the old one ^[27].
• County context — data centers: the commissioners unanimously adopted a six-month data center moratorium in June 2026 and extended it to a full year in August 2026 while a committee drafts zoning rules, which could include a permanent ban; officials said no data center application had been filed ^{[28, 29]}.
• No candidate forum or debate for this race was found in reviewable coverage.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Open seat: incumbent Bethany Keller did not file for re-election. (Madison County, Indiana)
• Madison County government adopted a $86.8 million budget for 2026, about $642 per resident; that is +26.9% 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 -12.6% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources