Owen 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]

Owen 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: $-476,200 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): scheduled
• wheel tax: none found
• fiscal consultant named in records: Peters Franklin

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

• Open seat: incumbent Steve Carrell is not running; Lynda Sands (R) faces Mark Snapp (D) ^{[25, 10]}. The Owen County Council has seven members: three at large and four by district. District 3 covers Jackson, Jennings, Lafayette and Morgan townships ^[22].
• May 5, 2026 primary (as reported by The Owen News): Republican - Lynda Sands 175, Don Bingham 170, Mark Anthony Searcy 131; Democrat - Mark Snapp 95, unopposed ^[25]. Sands won by five votes.
• Jail project: in March 2026 the council authorized the commissioners to pursue a roughly 17-acre jail site west of Walmart at $90,000 an acre plus commission, with members raising concerns about financing and about counting proceeds from selling the current jail property twice ^[27]. In May 2026 a financial adviser presented 104-bed and 112-bed options with estimated annual debt service of about $2.5 million to $2.65 million, correctional local income tax (LIT) revenues delayed until 2028-2029, and a possible property-tax backstop; council members questioned the sustainability of the payments and the risk to property owners if income tax revenues fall ^[28]. In June 2026 the council consolidated about $1.08 million of jail-related money into one jail project fund ^[30].
• Roads and county pay: in May 2026 the commissioners told the council that the highway department had about 10 road employees, compared with about 24 historically, with starting pay near $19 an hour and many complaints about road conditions; the council approved raises of about $5 an hour (5-1) and a reorganization that eliminated two positions and froze two vacancies ^[28].
• Local income tax and SEA 1 planning: in June 2026 the Auditor reported about $1.3 million in supplemental LIT revenue, which the council was told should not be treated as recurring ^[30]. The council formed a Municipal Unit Strategic Task Force with the towns of Spencer and Gosport on local income tax and revenue planning and scheduled its meeting for August 31, 2026 ^{[28, 29]}.
• Both District 3 candidates submitted statements to The Owen News before the primary ^[31]. No general-election forum or debate coverage was found as of October 11, 2026.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Open seat: incumbent Steve Carrell is not running; Lynda Sands (R) faces Mark Snapp (D). The Owen County Council has seven members: three at large and four by district. District 3 covers Jackson, Jennings, Lafayette and Morgan townships. (The Owen News)
• Owen County government adopted a $28.0 million budget for 2026, about $1,281 per resident; that is +55.4% 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 -8.6% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources