Porter County Council, District 4

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]

Porter 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: $-6,338,460 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): convened
• 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

• Seat changing hands: Council President Andy Vasquez (R) lost the May 5, 2026 Republican primary to Craig Kenworthy, 1,457 (62.7%) to 868 ^[24]. Julia Kocal was unopposed for the Democratic nomination with 1,597 votes ^[24].
• District 4 was won by Republican Mike Jessen in 2018 (9,803 to 6,129) and unopposed in 2022 ^{[33, 25]}.
• Porter County Council has seven members: four elected by district and three at large ^[22]. The four district seats are on the 2026 ballot; the three at-large members (Andy Bozak, Michelle Harris and Mike Brickner, all Republicans) were elected in 2024 ^[34].
• Budget: at the August 25, 2026 first reading, the proposed 2027 county budget across all funds totaled $175,565,107, including a $57,964,730 General Fund, $11,949,872 from the Local Income Tax fund and $7,700,000 from the Foundation Principal Borrowing fund ^[35]. The 2026 proposal at its first reading in August 2025 totaled $185,736,489, with a $53,933,518 General Fund ^[36]. Second readings were held in September 2026 ^[37].
• Local income tax: in July 2025 the council notified local taxing units that it would be considering an increase to the county local income tax rate during the year ^[29]. At the October 20, 2025 meeting, Council President Andy Vasquez referred to the council "not doing a LIT (Local Income Tax) increase" ^[30]. In September 2026 the council convened a Municipal Unit Strategic Taskforce with city and town fiscal officers for a briefing by Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors ^[38].
• Ambulance funding: on February 24, 2026 the council voted 6-0 to appropriate $2,000,000 from the Foundation Principal Borrowing fund for the 2026 ambulance contract; the county attorney said the contract could cost up to about $1.95 million including payments to the City of Portage and Portage Township ^[32].
• Key differences: Kocal's campaign emphasizes transparency, worker standards on county projects (project labor agreements and responsible bidder ordinances) and cost protections around large projects such as data centers ^[39]. No platform statements from Kenworthy were found.
• No candidate forum or debate for this race was found as of October 11, 2026.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Budget: at the August 25, 2026 first reading, the proposed 2027 county budget across all funds totaled $175,565,107, including a $57,964,730 General Fund, $11,949,872 from the Local Income Tax fund and $7,700,000 from the Foundation Principal Borrowing fund. (Porter County Council)
• Porter County government adopted a $166.9 million budget for 2026, about $948 per resident; that is +53.3% 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 -10.0% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources