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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

South Harrison School Board

4 seats on the South Harrison school corporation's board are on this year's ballot, with 7 names on them. Which seats appear on your ballot depends on where in the corporation you live.

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What a school board does

A school board is the elected or appointed governing body of a public school corporation, the legal unit that runs a local school district [1, 2]. The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts policies, and approves the annual budget, while the superintendent and staff run schools day to day [3]. Most boards have five or seven members serving staggered four-year terms [3]. Starting in 2026, candidates may list a political party, run as independents, or list no affiliation on the ballot, and there is no primary for these seats [2, 4].

Term
4 years, with elections staggered so part of the board is chosen every two years [3]
Elected
At the November general election (November 3, 2026, or November 2028 for some seats); depending on the local organization plan, members represent the whole school corporation (at large) or a district within it, and some boards are wholly or partly appointed [2]
Ballot label
Each candidate chooses a party label, 'Independent', or no affiliation, shown next to the name; no primary and no straight-ticket voting for these races [2, 4]
Pay
Set by board resolution: an annual amount of no more than 10% of the lowest starting teacher salary in the school corporation, plus a capped per diem [5]
On the 2026 ballot
632 races in 276 school corporations; 1,035 candidates, 197 races contested [6]
What the law puts in this job (12)
  • Hires, evaluates and can dismiss the superintendent, and approves the hiring and firing of principals, teachers and other staff recommended by the superintendent [1, 7, 3].
  • Adopts the annual budget, appropriates funds and oversees school finances [1, 3].
  • Decides whether to ask voters to approve an operating referendum (an extra property tax levy); the board adopts the resolution and the Department of Local Government Finance reviews the ballot language for compliance with state law [8].
  • Approves contracts, buys and sells property, and decides on construction, repair and demolition of school buildings [1].
  • Bargains with the teachers' union over salary, wages and wage-related benefits such as health insurance and retirement; state law excludes teacher evaluation procedures from those bargaining subjects [9].
  • Writes and updates policies and rules for schools, often in a policy handbook, including the student handbook [1, 3].
  • Buys curricular materials, provides them to students without charge, and runs programs such as student transportation and school lunch [1].
  • Must adopt a process for parents and residents to ask that library material be removed as obscene or harmful to minors, review requests at public meetings and keep a public catalog of library materials [10].
  • Hears written appeals of student expulsions, unless the board has voted not to hear them [11].
  • Must take official action openly; Indiana's Open Door Law says public agencies' official action is to be conducted openly so the people may be fully informed [12, 13].
  • A school board member must have lived in the school corporation (and, for a district seat, the district) for at least one year before the election, and a teacher or other employee of the school corporation may not serve on its board [2].
  • What the board does not control: the State Board of Education adopts statewide academic standards [14], the General Assembly sets the state school funding formula in the state budget [15], and voucher (Choice Scholarship) eligibility is set by state law [16].

The job in full — what the Indiana Code puts in it, what it pays, and what to ask a candidate.

About the South Harrison corporation

  • South Harrison Community School Corporation is based in Corydon in Harrison County and runs eight schools, including Corydon Central and South Central high schools [24, 25]. Federal data reported through PlainSchools show 3,123 students in 2024-25 [25].
  • Superintendent: Nathan Freed became superintendent in July 2026 [26]. The board voted 6-1 in March 2026 to hire him to succeed Dr. Mark Eastridge, who had led the district since mid-2014 and retired at the end of the 2025-26 school year [27].
  • Board: the board has seven members. In an April 2024 vote the members were Larry Hauswald, Mary Jean Mathes (then president), Barb Smith, Daneen Stewart, Karen Lopp, Steven Simler and Nick Evans [24]. Members represent township-based districts, and every voter in the district votes in each district race: the 2026 sample ballot for Webster Township lists the Heth-Washington, Harrison Township and Webster Township races [28].
  • Seats on the 2026 ballot: the Corydon Democrat reported that four of the seven seats are up [29]. District 1 (Heth and Washington townships) elects one member; incumbent Steven Simler faces Missy L. McKim [30, 31]. District 4 (Harrison Township) elects two members: the county ballot says 'Vote for not more than Two (2)' [30, 28, 6]. Its two seats were won in 2022 by Karen S. Lopp and Mary Jean Mathes, according to the county's unofficial results [32]; Mathes is running again and Lopp is not on the ballot [30, 31]. District 5 (Webster Township) elects one member; Barbara Smith won it in 2022 [32] and is not on the ballot, so Debbie Bube is unopposed [30, 31].
  • Facilities (2024-2026): a renovation touching all eight schools, the district's first major building project in more than 20 years, began at the end of the 2023-24 school year [33]. In April 2024 the board voted 6-1 (Evans against) to award athletic-facility bids of $11.7 million, about $650,000 over budget, and to make cuts afterward; the district's business director said the tax levy would stay neutral because debt from an earlier project was ending [24]. In August 2025 Eastridge said the project should be substantially complete by the end of 2025 [33]. Superintendent Freed reported more work in August 2026, including playground fencing, a roof at Corydon Intermediate and a new van tower [34].
  • Superintendent contract (March 2026): Freed's contract runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029 as a three-year rolling contract, with a $155,000 base salary [27]. Board member Nick Evans, the lone no vote, said the board had not followed its own policies during the search and that the contract's terms were excessive; Freed thanked the board and Eastridge called him 'a great asset to the community' [27].
  • School safety: in September 2025 the Harrison County Council voted not to fund school resource officers ($576,158 a year) or the county alternative school ($321,948) in 2026; a councilman said the superintendents had told him they would sort out the funding themselves [35]. In July 2026 Freed announced that all buildings now use badge entry instead of keys and that about 500 staff carry emergency-alert badges, funded through a joint grant with emergency management, with the Harrison County Community Foundation paying for the first year [26].
  • Staffing and student support: a district counselor told the board in March 2026 that South Harrison has about 350 students per counselor, compared with the national association's recommended 250 [36].
  • Budget and referendums: South Harrison is not on the state's list of school districts with referendums on the November 2026 ballot [37]. Candidate Abby Coffman says the district is projected to lose $1.45 million, or 5.4%, in funding over three years because of SEA 1 [38]; this guide did not find a district budget document or news report confirming that figure.
  • Forums and questionnaires: the Corydon Democrat published questionnaire answers from the candidates in the two contested races in September 2026 [39, 40]. This guide found no candidate forum. In District 1, Simler cites his four years on the board, while McKim emphasizes school safety, communication with families and careful use of resources [41, 42]. In District 4, Mathes, a 16-year board member, stresses continuity; Coffman, an educator, focuses on SEA 1 finances and teacher retention; Williams, a realtor and parent, focuses on keeping students and families in the district; and Myers, a bank manager, says the board needs new members [43, 38, 44, 45].

District 1, Heth and Washington Townships

2 candidates

Missy L. McKim

Republican

First-time candidate and former advanced EMT challenging incumbent Steven Simler; she lists school safety, communication with families and careful use of resources as priorities [42].

McKim's background

  • Age 48; a high school graduate who works as a stay-at-home caregiver [42].
  • Says she has worked as an advanced EMT and that her children graduated from the district's schools [42].
  • Has no previous political experience [42].

McKim's positions

School safety

  • Says her top priority would be 'making sure our students have a safe and supportive environment where they can learn and succeed' [42].

Transparency & community input

  • Says she wants to listen to parents, teachers and students, and to improve communication between the school system and families so 'families feel heard' [42].

Budget & taxes

  • Says she wants to make sure the board is 'being responsible with the resources provided by our community' [42].

How McKim would run the office

  • Says she would support teachers and make 'thoughtful decisions that put students first' [42].

McKim on the current officeholder

  • This guide found no statement from her about specific decisions of the current board.

How McKim got on the ballot

  • Filed for the District 1 seat (Heth and Washington townships) with the Republican label, which appears on the county ballot [30, 31]. Indiana school board candidates file a petition and consent [29].

What we could not find about McKim

  • No campaign website or social media page was found.
  • Her positions on SEA 1, the facilities project and the superintendent hire were not found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for McKim

Steven Simler

Republican

Incumbent completing his first four-year term, seeking reelection to the Heth-Washington seat [41, 31].

Simler's background

  • Age 59; a 1985 Corydon Central High School graduate who attended Indiana University Southeast [41].
  • Has worked for Ford Motor Co. for 31 years [41].
  • Won the District 1 seat in 2022 with about 69% of the vote over Cecily Wathen, according to the county's unofficial results [32].

How Simler would run the office

  • Says he is running 'to continue to represent the Heth-Washington district' and that his top priority is 'to continue to give the students of Heth-Washington strong support and a fair shake' [41].

Simler on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member. He says he has 'been a part of many major decisions' during his term [41].
  • Voted in April 2024 to award the athletic-facilities bids and make cuts afterward [24]. He was on the board when it voted 6-1 in March 2026 to hire Superintendent Freed, with Nick Evans the lone no vote [27].

How Simler got on the ballot

  • Filed for reelection to the District 1 seat with the Republican label, which appears on the county ballot [30, 31].

What we could not find about Simler

  • His questionnaire answers were brief and did not address specific issues such as SEA 1, staffing or safety.
  • No campaign website or social media page was found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Simler

District 4, Harrison Township

4 candidates · 2 seats

Abby Coffman

Democratic

Educator with 25 years in Indiana public schools and parent of current and former South Harrison students; she focuses on school finance under SEA 1 and teacher retention [38].

Coffman's background

  • Age 48; a 1996 Corydon Central graduate with a B.A. from Albion College and an M.A. from IU Southeast, plus reading specialist and high-ability licenses [38].
  • Works for the IU Graduate School of Education and teaches yoga at the YMCA; says she has been a classroom teacher and district coordinator [38].
  • Parent of four current and former South Harrison students; has served on PTO boards [38].

Coffman's positions

Budget & taxes

  • Says the district is projected to see a '$1.45 million, or 5.4%, reduction in funding over the next three years' because of SEA 1, and says she would prioritize limited resources 'while minimizing the impact on students' [38].

Teachers & staff

  • Says 'attracting and retaining high quality teachers must remain a priority' [38].

Enrollment & school choice

  • Says 'enrollment matters' and that strong academics, athletics, band, choir and drama show prospective families what the district offers [38].

How Coffman would run the office

  • Says every decision should start with 'how will this affect our students?' [38].

Coffman on the current officeholder

  • This guide found no statement from her about specific decisions of the current board.

How Coffman got on the ballot

  • Filed early in June 2026 for a Harrison Township seat with the Democratic label [29], which appears on the county ballot [30].

What we could not find about Coffman

  • She lists a social media page, 'Abby Coffman for South Harrison School Board', but this guide did not review it.
  • This guide could not confirm the $1.45 million SEA 1 figure in district documents.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Coffman

Mary Jean Mathes

Nonpartisan

Incumbent and retired South Harrison teacher with 16 years on the board, seeking another term [43, 31].

Mathes's background

  • Age 76; a 1968 Corydon Central graduate with a B.S. from the University of Indianapolis and an M.S. from IU Southeast in elementary education [43].
  • Retired after 38 years as a teacher in South Harrison schools [43].
  • Was board president in April 2024 [24]. Won one of two Harrison Township seats in 2022, according to the county's unofficial results [32].

Mathes's positions

Facilities

  • Says the board updated schools 'for modern instruction' over the last two years 'at no additional cost to taxpayers' by using an expiring bond [43].

Academics

  • Says the board should keep evaluating and adjusting curriculum, secure real-world internships and mentorships, and help students build 'soft skills' [43].

How Mathes would run the office

  • Says the board's job is to provide 'the policies, curriculum and financial backing for student success' [43].

Mathes on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member. She says the district has 'award-winning schools, great staff and an excellent curriculum' and that she wants to 'keep the positive momentum going' [43].
  • As president in April 2024, she urged the board to award the athletic-project contract and then revisit cuts [24]. She was on the board when it voted 6-1 in March 2026 to hire Superintendent Freed [27].

How Mathes got on the ballot

  • Filed for reelection without a party label; the county and state lists show no party [30, 6]. She is the only incumbent in the Harrison Township race [31].

What we could not find about Mathes

  • No campaign website or social media page was found.
  • Her position on SEA 1 funding was not found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Mathes

Tony Myers

Republican

Bank manager and Harrison Township Advisory Board member; he says the board needs new members and that his priority is keeping classrooms focused on learning [45].

Myers's background

  • Age 52; holds a business management degree from Ivy Tech [45].
  • Has been a bank manager for 21 years and in finance for 31 years [45].
  • Lists his political experience as the Harrison Township Advisory Board [45].
  • Parent of six children [45].

Myers's positions

School safety

  • Says the board needs people 'that will protect not only our children but also our teachers' [45].

Curriculum & library policy

  • Says his top priority is 'making sure we are doing everything possible to keep the world out of our classes so our children can learn'; he did not name specific policies [45].

How Myers would run the office

  • Says he will 'vote for what I feel is best, not what everyone else thinks' [45].

Myers on the current officeholder

  • Says 'we need new people with new ideas on the school board' [45].

How Myers got on the ballot

  • Filed for a Harrison Township seat with the Republican label, which appears on the county ballot [30, 31].
  • A candidate named Tony Myers also ran for the two Harrison Township seats in 2022 and finished fourth of five, according to the county's unofficial results [32].

What we could not find about Myers

  • The Corydon Democrat's introduction spells his name 'Meyers'; the ballot and his questionnaire use 'Myers'.
  • This guide matched him to the 2022 candidate by name only.
  • No campaign website or social media page was found; his views on the budget, SEA 1 and facilities were not found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Myers

Cory Williams

Republican

Realtor, small-business owner and parent of four students in the district, running in his first race; he focuses on keeping students and families in the district [44].

Williams's background

  • Age 40; a 2004 Corydon Central graduate with a business degree from IU Southeast (2008) [44].
  • Realtor with Schuler Bauer Real Estate Services ERA Powered; small-business owner and rental property investor [44].
  • Parent of four children in the district; cites PTO leadership and youth programs [44].
  • Has no previous elected office [44].

Williams's positions

Enrollment & school choice

  • Says the district must ask 'what we can do better to retain our students' and wants South Harrison to be a place families choose [44].

Budget & taxes

  • Says his business background helps him understand budgets and 'spending every dollar wisely' [44].

Teachers & staff

  • Says putting students first includes 'supporting the teachers and staff who work with our students every day' [44].

How Williams would run the office

  • Says his top priority would be 'keeping all students at the center of every decision,' whether on academics, staffing, facilities, finances, safety or athletics [44].

Williams on the current officeholder

  • This guide found no statement from him about specific decisions of the current board.

How Williams got on the ballot

  • Filed for a Harrison Township seat with the Republican label, which appears on the county ballot [30, 31].

What we could not find about Williams

  • This guide did not review his Facebook page beyond its address as given in the questionnaire.
  • His positions on SEA 1 and the facilities project were not found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Williams's campaign website

Sources for Williams

District 5, Webster Township

Unopposed

Debbie Bube

Republican

Unopposed candidate for the Webster Township seat now held by Barbara Smith, who is not on the ballot [30, 32].

Bube's background

  • This guide found no published background information about her.

Bube on the current officeholder

  • This guide found no statement from her about the current board's decisions.

How Bube got on the ballot

  • Filed in June 2026 for the District 5 (Webster Township) seat with the Republican label [29], which appears on the county ballot [30]. She is the only candidate for the seat [31].

What we could not find about Bube

  • Because her race is uncontested, the Corydon Democrat did not publish a questionnaire for her; no website, social media, occupation or stated positions were found.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Bube

Key points

  • Superintendent contract (March 2026): Freed's contract runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029 as a three-year rolling contract, with a $155,000 base salary. (The Corydon Democrat)
  • School safety: in September 2025 the Harrison County Council voted not to fund school resource officers ($576,158 a year) or the county alternative school ($321,948) in 2026; a councilman said the superintendents had told him they would sort out the funding themselves. (The Corydon Democrat)
  • Budget and referendums: South Harrison is not on the state's list of school districts with referendums on the November 2026 ballot. (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
  • Board: the board has seven members. In an April 2024 vote the members were Larry Hauswald, Mary Jean Mathes (then president), Barb Smith, Daneen Stewart, Karen Lopp, Steven Simler and Nick Evans. (The Corydon Democrat)

Sources

Researched Saturday, October 10, 2026

  1. Indiana Code 20-26-5-4: Specific powers of governing body (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  2. 2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (School Board Offices) (Indiana Election Division)
  3. 800 school board seats are up for election in Indiana (Chalkbeat Indiana / WFYI)
  4. Why there are no education elections on your primary ballot (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  5. Indiana Code 20-26-4-7: Compensation of governing body members (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  6. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  7. Indiana Code 20-26-5-4.5: Selection and discharge of employees (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  8. School Tax Levy Referendum (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
  9. Indiana Code 20-29-6-4: Subjects of collective bargaining (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  10. Obscene, or just objectionable? Here's how Indiana schools are tackling library book complaints (Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism / Indiana Capital Chronicle)
  11. Indiana Code 20-33-8-19: Expulsion appeals (FindLaw (Indiana Code))
  12. Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-1: Open Door Law policy (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  13. What We Do (Indiana Public Access Counselor)
  14. Indiana Code 20-31-3-1: State academic standards (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  15. Indiana K-12 State Tuition Support Annual Report FY2023 (Indiana Department of Education)
  16. Indiana lawmakers expand voucher eligibility, increase school funding in budget (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  17. SH scales back athletic portion of project (The Corydon Democrat)
  18. South Harrison Com Schools (NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25) (PlainSchools)
  19. SH highlights school safety improvements (The Corydon Democrat)
  20. SHCSC contract approved for Freed to succeed Eastridge (The Corydon Democrat)
  21. 2026 General Election Sample Ballot: Webster Township (Harrison County Clerk)
  22. Deadline to file for school board June 18 (The Corydon Democrat)
  23. Candidate List - Abbreviated, 2026 General Election (Harrison County Clerk)
  24. School board candidates announced (The Corydon Democrat)
  25. Cumulative Results Report, 2022 General Election (unofficial) (Harrison County Clerk)
  26. Work continues as SH prepares for new year (The Corydon Democrat)
  27. South Harrison schools begin year with construction underway (The Corydon Democrat)
  28. County won't fund SROs, alternative school in '26 (The Corydon Democrat)
  29. School counselors share role with SH board (The Corydon Democrat)
  30. Referendum Information (November 2026 referendum documents) (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
  31. SH Harrison Township school board seat draws four (Abby Coffman questionnaire) (The Corydon Democrat)
  32. Simler, McKim seek SH Heth-Washington Township school board seat (The Corydon Democrat)
  33. SH Harrison Township school board seat draws four (The Corydon Democrat)
  34. Simler, McKim seek SH Heth-Washington Township school board seat (Steven Simler questionnaire) (The Corydon Democrat)
  35. Simler, McKim seek SH Heth-Washington Township school board seat (Missy McKim questionnaire) (The Corydon Democrat)
  36. SH Harrison Township school board seat draws four (Mary Jean Mathes questionnaire) (The Corydon Democrat)
  37. SH Harrison Township school board seat draws four (Cory Williams questionnaire) (The Corydon Democrat)
  38. SH Harrison Township school board seat draws four (Tony Myers questionnaire) (The Corydon Democrat)
What's included
the U.S. House, statewide offices, every Indiana House and Senate district on the ballot, Indiana's statewide public questions and judicial retention questions, and county, township, city, town and school board races from the Indiana Election Division's candidate list.
Everything else
Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: IndianaVoters.in.gov.
Candidate lists
As of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
At the polls
Indiana law lets you bring a list of candidates and public questions into the polling place, including one stored on your phone, as long as you don't electioneer. IC 3-11-8-18.5

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.