County Treasurer

The basics

Term

4 years. ^[9]

Term limit

No person may hold the office of clerk, auditor, recorder, treasurer, sheriff or coroner more than eight years in any period of twelve years (Indiana Constitution, Art. 6, Sec. 2). ^{[10, 6]}

Who may stand

Must have resided in the county at least one year before the election (Art. 6, Sec. 4), must keep residing in the county (the officer forfeits office on moving out), and must be registered to vote; candidates file a statement of economic interests. ^{[10, 11]}

Training the law requires

Must complete 5 hours of newly-elected-official training before taking office (first term), then at least 15 hours within one year and 40 hours within three years after each election, using Association of Indiana Counties courses approved by the State Board of Accounts. ^[12]

On the 2026 ballot

15 races in Indiana

What the law puts in this job

• Receives money owed to the county and disburses it on warrants issued by the auditor; files a monthly report before the 16th and settles with the commissioners annually and with the auditor semiannually. ^{[2, 3, 4, 5]}
• Mails property tax bills (by April 15) and collects them for all units; manages the tax sale of delinquent property with the auditor. ^[6]
• Invests county funds under guidelines set by the commissioners and sits on the county board of finance with them. ^{[7, 8]}

What the officeholder decides

• New tax-statement content (HEA 1406-2026) and SEA 1 credits on bills; investment policy; data-center contribution payments under HEA 1210-2026. ^[6]

Who the officeholder answers to

• The county council fixes the officer's salary and the number and pay of deputies and staff in an annual salary ordinance; an elected officer's pay may not be changed during the year for which it is fixed. ^{[13, 14, 15]}
• Each officer files an itemized budget estimate before the Thursday after the first Monday in August and a positions/compensation statement before July 2; the council adopts the budget by Nov. 1. ^{[16, 17, 18]}
• The officer appoints deputies and staff within the positions the council authorizes, and keeps final authority over discipline of employees under the officer's supervision (new in 2026). ^{[19, 20]}
• Contracts an elected officer signs must be in the county's name and submitted to the commissioners for execution or review; the commissioners may void a contract signed without that review. ^{[21, 22]}
• The State Board of Accounts audits county offices at least once every four years (risk-based); DLGF certifies the county budget and tax rates. ^{[23, 24]}
• If the county is unauditable, a qualified investment adviser must be hired. ^[25]

What it pays, and who sets that

• Set by the council. ^[13]
• Varies by county.
• In the 12 of 15 counties where a salary line could be identified in the 2026 budget, elected-official pay lines ran from $46,725 to $66,172 (median $55,973). From county budget lines; verify against each county's salary ordinance. ^[1]

Questions worth asking a candidate

Ours, not a questionnaire anyone answered. They come from what the job actually involves.

• How would you explain the tax bill changes from SEA 1 to homeowners?
• What is the county's investment policy, and who sets it?
• How will you handle tax-sale and delinquency cases fairly?

Sources

Office research by Legal Insights (Oct. 13, 2026): Indiana Code 2026 edition, state agencies and county budgets. Nothing here rates an officeholder or candidate.