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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Shelby County Council, District 3

Voted on across Shelby County, in district 3. Open seat: Brett Haacker is not on the ballot.

Find your exact ballotAll Shelby County races

Who votes on this seat: Only voters who live in District 3 vote in this race. 2026 General Election Candidate List

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]
What the law puts in this job (13)
  • Serves as the county fiscal body under the name of the county council [1].
  • Sets the county property tax rate and other countywide rates not fixed by state law [2].
  • Appropriates county money; except as otherwise provided by law, money may leave the county treasury only under an appropriation the council makes [2].
  • Adopts the annual budget at a yearly meeting where the county auditor presents budget estimates; budget ordinances must be read on two separate days, and funding an item above the estimates takes a three-fourths vote [14].
  • Adopts a separate salary ordinance setting the pay of county officers and employees and the number of deputies and employees in each office, after considering the commissioners' recommendations [14, 3].
  • Sets pay schedules and job classifications paid from the county general, highway, park and other funds, except that each local health department board sets pay for its own staff [3].
  • Controls spending and revenue collection in the county, including special spending requests during the year [6].
  • Authorizes by ordinance the bonds that fund county road and bridge projects and can create a county housing authority by resolution [8].
  • Serves as the county legislative body as well as the fiscal body in Lake and St. Joseph counties [8].
  • Declares a commissioner's seat vacant when the commissioner moves out of the county or district, and in certain cases can remove a county commissioner from office [15, 13].
  • Becomes the body that adopts county local income tax rates under the 2025 SEA 1 overhaul, replacing local income tax councils; the change is now scheduled for ordinances adopted starting July 1, 2028 [16, 17].
  • Has its adopted budget, tax rate and levies reviewed by the state Department of Local Government Finance, whose county budget order certifies the approved budget, tax rate and levy for each fund [18].
  • Does not run county departments day to day; the commissioners provide administrative oversight and the council provides fiduciary oversight [5].

What has changed in this job lately

Changes in the law the next officeholder will work under, most distant first.

  1. 2023

    State law gave counties with 185,000 to 300,000 residents until September 1, 2023, to opt in to a nine-member council elected entirely from single-member districts [1, 4, 19].

  2. April 15, 2025

    Gov. Mike Braun signed Senate Enrolled Act 1, a property tax law he called historic tax relief; Rep. Greg Porter (D-Indianapolis) called it a lose-lose and said it would cost local governments and schools up to $1.8 billion over three years [20].

  3. 2025

    SEA 1 rewrote county local income taxes: existing rates were set to be replaced by a new structure, local income tax councils were to be eliminated with the county fiscal body becoming the adopting body, the total county expenditure rate was capped at 2.9%, and cities and towns with at least 3,500 residents gained the power to adopt their own rate [16].

  4. March 12, 2026

    House Enrolled Act 1210 delayed the local income tax overhaul by one year; current ordinances now expire January 1, 2029, the repeal of local income tax councils and the levy freeze is also delayed a year, and counties may form a Municipal Unit Strategic Taskforce with city and town representatives to negotiate revenue sharing [17, 21].

  5. 2026

    Senate tax committee chair Travis Holdman (R-Markle) said the delay aims for a more streamlined, tailored plan because counties are not all alike, while Amy Krieg of the organization representing cities and towns said the issue will be a multi-year discussion [21].

Shelby 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.

This office's 2026 budget

$195,447

0.4% of the county's adopted 2026 budget · 111% more than 2019, before inflation

2019: $92,4592020: $97,4592021: $103,6702022: $126,7572023: $139,9912024: $157,0282025: $192,3042026: $195,447
2019 $92,4592026 $195,447
The year-by-year figures

Adopted budget, all funds, 2019-2026 (not adjusted for inflation)

  • 2019: $92,459
  • 2020: $97,459
  • 2021: $103,670
  • 2022: $126,757
  • 2023: $139,991
  • 2024: $157,028
  • 2025: $192,304
  • 2026: $195,447

Budget lines counted: 0061 COUNTY COUNCIL

Adopted 2026 county budget (Form 1 line items, Form 4B) and earlier years' budgets

All members combined, 2026 budget lines (presidents are often paid more)

$107,947

From the county budget; verify against the county's 2026 salary ordinance. A line can include longevity pay or a second role.

Also on the record for this office

  • SEA 1 estimated county-unit revenue change in 2028 vs prior law: $-675,030 (LSA)
  • MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): named reps
  • wheel tax: none found
  • fiscal consultant named in records: FSG

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.

General Fund cash, in days of spending · 2025

295 days

End-of-2025 General Fund cash divided by a year's disbursements, times 365.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council and commissioners jointly): spending and appropriation decisions

Position 8 of 33 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Share of the 2025 General Fund budget spent · 2025

99.8%

Actual General Fund spending divided by the certified budget.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council appropriates; commissioners and officers spend)

Position 11 of 33 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

County debt per resident · 2025

$350

Debt outstanding at the end of 2025 (annual financial report).

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council authorizes borrowing; commissioners initiate many projects)

Position 6 of 27 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Budget growth, 2023 to 2026 · 2023-2026

+5.1%

Adopted budget, all funds, not adjusted for inflation.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council adopts the budget)

Position 25 of 34 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

SEA 1 estimate for 2028 · 2028 (LSA estimate)

-5.2%

Legislative Services Agency estimate of the county government's revenue change under the 2025 property tax law, compared with prior law.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: set by state law (SEA 1-2025); local rate choices from 2028 change the outcome

Position 7 of 34 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source

Property tax cap credits · 2026

9.0%

Tax-cap (circuit breaker) credits as a share of the 2026 levy: revenue the county does not collect because of the caps.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: set mainly by the constitutional caps and the combined rates of all units in the county

Position 11 of 34 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Local income tax share of county revenue · 2026

43.5%

How much of the county's revenue comes from local income tax.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: partial: the council adopts local income tax rates within limits set by state law

Position 21 of 34 counties with 25,000 to 50,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Meeting minutes online · 2026-10

Posted as text

Whether the council's or commissioners' minutes are posted online (the better of the two), checked Oct. 2026.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (commissioners and council decide what they post)

About this race

  • Open seat: incumbent Council President Brett Haacker (R) lost the May 5, 2026 Republican primary to James P. Ramsey [25, 29].
  • The seven-member Shelby County Council has four district members and three at-large members [24]. District 3 is a single seat.
  • May 5, 2026 primary: Ramsey won the Republican primary 470-272. Sean David Scott was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, with 209 votes [29, 25].
  • Budget context: the council raised the county local income tax from 1.6% to 1.7% in September 2025, for volunteer fire departments and jail costs. Members cited the effect of SEA 1 and the new homestead credit on revenue [27, 26]. In August 2025 the council required council approval before most county jobs are posted, and it declined to spend county money on broadband [27].
  • In August 2026 commissioners supported up to $6 million in general obligation bonds for a combined coroner and maintenance facility. The County Council had introduced the bond ordinance and planned a public hearing before final approval [30].
  • Forums: both candidates spoke at an April 2026 forum held by the Northwest Shelby County Concerned Citizens Coalition. It covered nondisclosure agreements, broadband, tax abatements and TIF districts, and county finances [31]. The Addison Times published profiles of both candidates in September 2026 [32, 33].
  • Scott said in February 2026 that no Democrats hold elected office in Shelby County [34]. Scott named data centers as a leading county issue [33].

Who holds this seat now

Brett Haacker (Republican) — not on this ballot.

Brett Haacker (R) has held the District 3 seat since a February 2022 party caucus and has been council president. He lost the May 5, 2026 Republican primary to James P. Ramsey and is not on the November ballot [22, 23, 24, 25].

Haacker's record in the job

  • February 2022: Was caucused in by the Republican Party to fill former councilman Jordan Caldwell's District 3 seat. He had told the Addison Times he would focus on making sure the ways tax dollars are used and invested are the best path forward, and that while economic development "is certainly a big piece of that, it can't be the only consideration" [22].
  • November 2022: Won a full term over Democrat Michael W Daniels, 1,699 to 639 [23].
  • Council president as of 2025-2026 [24, 26].
  • Aug. 19, 2025: The council voted 6-0 to advertise a public-safety and jail local income tax ordinance. Members cited a projected $800,000 revenue loss in 2026 from the state's new $300 homestead credit, plus higher ambulance costs. The council also decided not to spend county money on broadband expansion, which Haacker said followed the previous month's budget meetings: "Given what private companies are already doing and the growth that's happening on its own, we didn't think it was wise to commit more county money" [27].
  • September 2025: The council approved raising the county income tax rate from 1.6% to 1.7%. The public-safety portion rose from 0.35% to 0.40%, with the added money going to volunteer fire departments, and the jail rate rose from 0.20% to 0.25%. Haacker said $3 million in former federal ARPA money set aside for broadband remained in the general fund and that, under SEA 1, "The $3 million we understood a year ago is different than $3 million today" [26].
  • December 2025: At a public meeting, responded to criticism from Commissioner Jason Abel that the previous council never gave a broadband proposal a hearing or vote. Haacker said no completed proposal was ever delivered to the council, so no vote could legally occur: "Council can't just make stuff up to vote on." He called a possible Moral Township sewer expansion a "significant undertaking" that had not yet reached the council [28].
  • May 5, 2026: Lost the Republican primary to James P. Ramsey, 470 votes (63.34%) to 272 (36.6%) [25, 29].

Candidates on the ballot

James P Ramsey

Republican

Republican nominee, a farmer and owner of a drainage and excavation business, who defeated incumbent Brett Haacker in the May 2026 primary. He emphasizes careful spending, scrutiny of tax abatements and more reporting from county departments [32, 25].

Ramsey's background

  • Lifelong Shelby County resident and Morristown High School graduate [35, 32].
  • Sixth-generation farmer. Owns Ramsey Farms Ag Enterprises, a drainage and excavation business he has run with his father and brother for about 20 years, and serves as its operations and business manager [32].
  • Has served with the Shelby County Farm Bureau and the Indiana Land Improvement Contractors Association, including a term as that association's state president. Served on the Indiana Drainage Task Force after an appointment by Gov. Eric Holcomb [32, 35].
  • Says his work has taken him into about nine Indiana counties, working with county surveyors and drainage boards [32].
  • No prior elected office was mentioned in reviewed coverage.

Ramsey's positions

Budget & taxes

  • Calls county finances one of the biggest issues for the next council. He says changes by the General Assembly will require local officials to reconsider revenue and spending, and he would emphasize careful spending and long-term stability while keeping essential services [32].
  • Said in a January 2026 statement that he wants decisions that keep the county "financially stable while also leaving as much money in county residents' pockets as possible" [35].

Economic development

  • Says tax abatements should not be the main way to attract companies. Officials should first determine what a development would contribute, then decide whether an abatement is a reasonable return on the public's investment [32].
  • At the April 2026 forum, said incentives can be useful but should be structured carefully, pointing to recent agreements as examples of improved approaches [31].

Transparency

  • Said at the April 2026 forum that he would not sign nondisclosure agreements, citing the need for transparency in public office [31].
  • Wants county information easier for residents to find. Proposes that each department report to the council at least quarterly on staffing, spending, overtime and other budget issues [32].

Roads & infrastructure

  • On broadband, described limited service in parts of the county and said he is open to future discussions if funding becomes available [31].

How Ramsey would run the office

  • Quarterly reports from each department to the council [32].
  • Said he would remain reachable by phone, email, social media or in person if elected [32].

Ramsey on the current officeholder

  • Open seat: no statements about incumbent Brett Haacker were found. On county decision-making he said, "We're all making decisions and saying we've got to cut budgets, but we don't know what's going on with our department heads" [32].

How Ramsey got on the ballot

  • Filed in January 2026 for the Republican nomination [35].
  • Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over incumbent Brett Haacker, 470 votes (63.34%) to 272 (36.6%) [25, 29].

What we could not find about Ramsey

  • No campaign website was found.
  • Shelbyville News coverage of his campaign could not be reviewed for this profile.
  • No endorsements or campaign-finance reports were found for this race.

Sources for Ramsey

Sean David Scott (Sean David)

Democratic

Democratic nominee, a U.S. Army veteran and union trustee. He says county government needs political balance and earlier public involvement in major decisions such as data centers [33].

David's background

  • Served five years in the U.S. Army after high school [33].
  • Has worked in a variety of jobs, many of them union positions. Currently a trustee for his union, a role that includes quarterly reviews of its finances and dues [33].
  • No prior elected office was mentioned in reviewed coverage.

David's positions

Data centers & energy projects

  • Named the data-center debate as a top county issue. He wants residents involved "from start to finish" in major decisions, and wants government run on honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability [33].

Transparency

  • At the April 2026 forum, proposed regular financial reporting, public dashboards and community meetings [31].
  • Said at the forum he would not rule out nondisclosure agreements entirely but would sign them only when legally necessary and consistent with public accountability [31].
  • Questions how often the county's votes are unanimous. He said disagreement can be healthy and that he would vote on what he believes residents want [33].

Economic development

  • Supports tax abatements and TIF districts when used responsibly, with transparency and enforcement [31].

Roads & infrastructure

  • Calls broadband essential infrastructure for education, agriculture and emergency services [31].

County services & staffing

  • Wants an out-of-service elevator in a county building repaired. He says it makes it hard for disabled veterans and others to reach upstairs services, and he cited a trip hazard he saw while watching a county meeting online [33].

How David would run the office

  • Repair the county-building elevator [33].
  • Bring residents into major decisions earlier, and use financial dashboards and community meetings [33, 31].

David on the current officeholder

  • Open seat. Of county government's upkeep, he asked: "How can we trust you to put in the ordinance that's going to keep data centers in compliance when we can't even trust you to keep the county building safe or the elevators working?" [33]
  • Says Shelby County government needs "two voices," noting that Republicans hold all elected county offices [33, 34].

How David got on the ballot

  • Unopposed in the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary with 209 votes [29].

David's endorsements and funding

  • Spoke at Shelby County Democratic Party fundraising events in February and August 2026 [34, 36]. No campaign-finance reports were found.

What we could not find about David

  • No campaign website was found.
  • Shelbyville News coverage of his campaign could not be reviewed for this profile, and his current employer was not confirmed.

Sources for David

Key points

  • Budget context: the council raised the county local income tax from 1.6% to 1.7% in September 2025, for volunteer fire departments and jail costs. Members cited the effect of SEA 1 and the new homestead credit on revenue. (The Addison Times)
  • Shelby County government adopted a $50.3 million budget for 2026, about $1,097 per resident; that is +5.1% 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 -5.2% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources

Researched Sunday, October 11, 2026

  1. Indiana Code 36-2-3-2: County council as fiscal body; size (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  2. Indiana Code 36-2-5-2: Tax rates and appropriations (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  3. Indiana Code 36-2-5-3: Compensation of officers and employees (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  4. Indiana Code 36-2-3-4: Council districts and at-large members (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  5. Commissioners Responsibilities (Boone County, Indiana)
  6. About the County Council (Hancock County, Indiana)
  7. Indiana Code 36-2-3-1: Application of chapter (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  8. County Government Overview: Indiana (National Association of Counties (NACo))
  9. Indiana Code 36-2-3-3: Election and term of fiscal body (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  10. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  11. Monroe County voters put three incumbent Democrats back on county council (The B Square Bulletin (Dave Askins))
  12. Indiana Code 3-8-1-22: Candidates for county council (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  13. 2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (Indiana Election Division)
  14. Indiana Code 36-2-5-11: Annual budget, tax rate and salary ordinances (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  15. Indiana Code 36-2-2-5: Qualifications and residency of members; district or countywide election (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  16. Major Changes to Expenditure Rate of LIT in SEA 1 (2025) (Barnes & Thornburg LLP)
  17. Legislation Affecting Local Income Taxes (memorandum on HEA 1210-2026) (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
  18. County Specific Information (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
  19. Indiana Code 36-2-2-4: Commissioner districts (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  20. Gov. Mike Braun signs 'historic' property tax relief bill into law, critics call it a 'lose-lose' (Indiana Public Media (Brandon Smith))
  21. Delay in local income tax changes sets up more legislative debate next year (Indiana Capital Chronicle via Indiana Public Media (Tom Davies))
  22. Sunday, February 13, 2022 (The Addison Times)
  23. 2022 General Election results (Indiana Election Division)
  24. County Council (Shelby County, Indiana)
  25. Local Primary Election Results (The Addison Times)
  26. Council Approves Income Tax Hike, Holds Lengthy Broadband Discussion (The Addison Times)
  27. Thursday, August 21, 2025 (The Addison Times)
  28. Monday, December 8, 2025 (The Addison Times)
  29. 2026 Primary Election results (Indiana Election Division)
  30. Tuesday, August 25, 2026 (The Addison Times)
  31. Northwest Shelby County Concerned Citizens Coalition hosts candidate forum: Part II (The Addison Times)
  32. Ramsey points to business experience in County Council campaign (The Addison Times)
  33. Tuesday, September 8, 2026 (Sean David Scott candidate profile) (The Addison Times)
  34. Local Democrats Rally at Fundraiser (The Addison Times)
  35. Saturday, January 24, 2026 (The Addison Times)
  36. Monday, August 31, 2026 (The Addison Times)
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.