St. Joseph County Council, District A

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]

St. Joseph 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: $-12,232,880 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): none found
• wheel tax: none found
• fiscal consultant named in records: none found

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

• District A is one of nine single-member council districts ^[26]. Incumbent Joe Thomas (Republican) faces Democrat Mike Hamann, a former county auditor, commissioner and council member ^{[31, 32]}. No contested District A primary was reported in 95.3 MNC's results ^[33].
• The outcome could affect partisan control of the council, where Republicans have held a 5-4 majority since 2022 ^[26]; supporters said they would need five votes after November to advance a data center moratorium ^[34].
• The St. Joseph County Council has nine members ^[26]. Republicans won a 5-4 majority in the 2022 elections ^{[26, 22]}. In January 2025 the four Democrats joined Republican Dan Schaetzle to elect him president 5-4 over Republican Randy Figg; Republicans Amy Drake, Randy Figg, Joe Thomas and Andy Rutten issued a joint statement calling on him to leave the party, and Schaetzle said he would keep working with both parties ^[26]. In January 2026 the council elected Democrat Bryan Tanner president 6-3, with Republicans Figg and Rutten supporting him ^[35].
• Budget: the council passed the 2026 budget on October 14, 2025; WNDU reported that the state's Senate Enrolled Act 1 property-tax cuts made the work difficult ^[36]. The council began 2027 budget hearings on July 20, 2026; President Tanner said the budget centers on infrastructure, public safety and parks, that the county would not spend more than it expects to receive, and that the county has cut its property tax rate about 14% over five years ^[37].
• Data centers have been the leading county issue in 2026. The council previously approved rezoning for Amazon (near New Carlisle) and Microsoft (Granger) data centers ^{[38, 29]}, and on December 9, 2025 rejected a third data center rezoning near New Carlisle 7-2 ^[39]. On September 22, 2026 the council voted 6-3 for a resolution, sponsored by Republicans Drake, Thomas, Figg and Rutten, directing the Area Plan Commission to draft zoning changes that would ban new hyperscale data centers in unincorporated areas; it does not itself enact a ban. Democrats Diana Hess and Mark Catanzarite and Republican Dan Schaetzle voted no ^{[30, 28, 29]}.
• A proposed expansion of the AM General tax increment financing (TIF) district to include the Microsoft site, with up to $4 million in bonds for projects such as a Douglas Road rail overpass and water and sewer work, was scheduled for a council vote on September 22, 2026 ^{[40, 41]}. The outcome was not found in available coverage.
• Portage Manor, the former county home: the council voted 5-4 in June 2023 to close it ^[25]; in November 2025 it voted 6-3 for a resolution asking commissioners to bring proposals to reopen or preserve it ^[27]; and in May 2026 it allowed commissioners to seek proposals for the property while requiring council approval of any sale ^[42].
• Hamann appeared with other Democratic council candidates at an August 2026 press conference where Democratic Councilwoman Jenn Shabazz announced support for a data center ban; WVPE did not report Hamann's own position ^[24].
• No candidate forum or debate for this race was found in available coverage.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• The outcome could affect partisan control of the council, where Republicans have held a 5-4 majority since 2022; supporters said they would need five votes after November to advance a data center moratorium. (WVPE)
• St. Joseph County government adopted a $218.5 million budget for 2026, about $801 per resident; that is +18.2% 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 -14.5% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources