2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Starke County Sheriff

Voted on across Starke County.

Find your exact ballot All Starke County races

What this office does

The sheriff is an elected county officer created by the Indiana Constitution who arrests offenders, keeps the peace, serves court papers, keeps order in county courts and runs the county jail ^{[1, 2]}. The Indiana Sheriffs' Association describes sheriffs as constitutional officers elected by the people, whose work includes operating jails, serving civil process, providing court security and coordinating emergency response ^[3]. Every county elects its sheriff in 2026 for a four-year term, and no one may serve as sheriff more than eight years in any twelve-year period ^[1].

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; the sheriff serves until a successor is elected and qualified ^{[4, 1]}
Elected: Countywide by the county's voters on the partisan general election ballot; all county sheriffs are elected in 2026 ^[1]
Term limit: No more than eight years in any period of twelve years (Indiana Constitution, Article 6, Section 2) ^[1]
Qualifications: Must have lived in the county for at least one year before the election, be registered to vote in the county by the filing deadline, and file a statement of economic interests; a sheriff who moves out of the county forfeits the office ^{[1, 4]}
Pay: A county may pay the sheriff a salary from the county general fund of at least 50% to 100% of the state minimum salary of a full-time prosecuting attorney, depending on county population ^[5]
On the 2026 ballot: 92 races; 26 contested ^[6]

What the law puts in this job (13)

Arrests without a warrant people who commit an offense in the sheriff's view, brings them before a county court, and holds them while the arrest is investigated ^[2].
Suppresses breaches of the peace and pursues and jails felons ^[2].
Takes care of the county jail and the prisoners held there ^{[2, 3]}.
Serves and carries out legal papers (process) directed to the sheriff by courts and the county commissioners ^[2].
Attends and keeps order in all courts of the county, which the Sheriffs' Association describes as providing court security ^{[2, 3]}.
Takes photographs, fingerprints and other identification data from people held for crimes, and DNA samples for felonies ^[2].
Reports twice a year to the Indiana Department of Correction the average daily cost of holding a jail prisoner ^[2].
Holds state prisoners, including people convicted of Level 6 felonies, in the county jail, for which the state reimburses counties at a daily rate set in the state budget ^[7].
Coordinates emergency response and works with local police, prosecutors and community partners ^[3].
In a county whose council creates a sheriff's merit board by ordinance, appoints three of its five members, while the county police officers elect the other two; no more than two sheriff appointees and one elected member may belong to the same party ^[8].
Must report information to federal authorities when a person arrested for a felony or misdemeanor is believed to lack legal immigration status, and, since July 2026, notify the judge setting bail when holding a person subject to an immigration detainer ^{[9, 10]}.
May supervise and inspect businesses such as pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers ^[2].
What the sheriff does not control: the county commissioners must establish and maintain the county jail building ^[11]; the county makes the appropriation for feeding prisoners and sets the sheriff's salary ^[5]; the prosecuting attorney decides which crimes to prosecute ^[12]; and judges decide bail ^[13].

Starke 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

$1,543,694

9.4% of the county's adopted 2026 budget · 117% more than 2019, before inflation

2019 $712,4792026 $1,543,694

The year-by-year figures

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

2019: $712,479
2020: $723,269
2021: $824,750
2022: $878,402
2023: $962,884
2024: $1,096,432
2025: $1,175,754
2026: $1,543,694

Budget lines counted: 0005 COUNTY SHERIFF

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

Elected official's pay, 2026 budget line

$111,000

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

Budgeted separately, not included above: jail/detention center (depts 0380, 0381), $93,245.

Counties budget the jail differently: some put jail costs in the sheriff's department, others in a separate jail department. Compare the sheriff and jail together across counties.

Also on the record for this office

rated capacity: 148.0
latest jail count: 70
count date: 2024 (Vera v3.1)
IDOC holds: 3
IDOC holds date: 2026-08-01
federal (USMS/ICE) housing: not found
jail operating budget 2026: 93245.0
sheriff dept actual 2025: 1534978.0
jail actual 2025: 85077.0
jail project: [Vera jail-construction file, unverified] 2015 New Jail (Passed, $14.0M, beds 54->148)

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.

Jail occupancy · 2024 (Vera v3.1)

47.0%

Latest jail count as a share of rated capacity.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: partial: jail population depends on arrests, charging, bail and sentencing decisions by police, prosecutors and judges; the sheriff manages housing and transfers

Position 14 of 17 counties with under 25,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Average daily jail population · 2024

People held on an average day.

Position 10 of 30 counties with under 25,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Share of people in jail awaiting trial · 2019

57.0%

People held before trial as a share of the jail population.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low to partial for the sheriff: pretrial detention is decided by courts (bail) and prosecutors (charging); the county funds pretrial services

Position 23 of 29 counties with under 25,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Reported crimes per 1,000 residents · 2025

5.6

Offenses reported by police agencies county-wide (agencies with full-year reporting), not only the sheriff's office.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low to partial: the sheriff patrols mainly unincorporated areas; city and town police cover most residents in larger counties

Position 5 of 12 counties with under 25,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source

About this race

Starke County Sheriff Jack Rosa is completing his first term and is eligible to run again; he faces Democrat Brack Rowe in the November 3, 2026 general election ^{[18, 25]}.
In the May 5, 2026 Republican primary, Rosa won a three-way contest with 1,391 votes (55.93%) over Matthew Topelian (571, 22.96%) and Dennis Fornelli (525, 21.11%); Rowe received 522 votes unopposed in the Democratic primary ^[19].
Rowe also sought the Democratic nomination for sheriff in 2022, finishing fourth of four with 71 votes (5.24%); Kelly Fisher won that primary ^{[26, 16]}.
Recent office-level issues in county meetings have included replacing an aging patrol fleet, which fund pays for vehicles and equipment, and State Board of Accounts concerns raised by council leadership ^{[21, 22]}.
No general-election forum or debate between Rosa and Rowe was found in available coverage.

Candidates on the ballot

Jack Rosa

RepublicanIncumbent

Jack Rosa is the incumbent Starke County sheriff, first elected in 2022; ABC57 reported in 2022 that his campaign Facebook page cited 35 years in law enforcement ^[16].

Rosa's background

Starke County sheriff since 2023 ^{[16, 20]}.
ABC57 reported in November 2022 that, according to his campaign Facebook page, he had spent 35 years in law enforcement ^[16].

Rosa's positions

Drugs

His office's 2023–2025 report, as summarized by WKVI, describes a focus on high-level dealers, a Strategic Response Team working with the DEA and county detectives, an added detective in 2024 for drug enforcement, and planned federal prosecutions through the U.S. Attorney's Office starting in 2026 ^[20].

Jail & corrections

The report lists a jail audit by the Indiana Sheriffs' Association completed in 2024, cross-training of jail and road deputies in de-escalation and use of force, and mentoring jail staff into patrol positions ^[20].

Patrol & response

Has sought county funding to replace patrol vehicles and computers ^{[21, 22]}; the office reported increased proactive patrols in 2024–2025 and Indiana State Police Zone 4 coverage for Starke and Pulaski counties beginning January 2026 ^[20].

School safety

The report says the office gave active-shooter awareness training and arranged for deputies to have access to school building layouts ^[20].

Transparency

Ended the county's Flock camera contract in September 2026, citing public opinion and uncertainty about data use ^[24]; the office's report lists a self-requested State Board of Accounts audit in 2023 ^[20].

How Rosa would run the office

The office's report listed a Citizens Police Academy and a 'Riding with the Sheriff' program scheduled to launch in February 2026 ^[20].

Rosa on the current officeholder

Is the current officeholder. No statements by Rosa about his general-election opponent were found.

How Rosa got on the ballot

Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary with 55.93% over Matthew Topelian and Dennis Fornelli ^{[19, 6]}.
In 2022 he won the Republican primary over Gregory R. Wireman with 67.58% ^[26].

What we could not find about Rosa

No 2026 campaign website, questionnaire or interview was found; positions above are drawn from his office's record and report rather than campaign statements.
His career before becoming sheriff (agencies, ranks) was not found beyond the 35-year figure attributed to his campaign Facebook page in 2022.
Overdose-reduction percentages come from the sheriff's office's own report as summarized by WKVI; underlying counts were not reviewed.
The outcome of an October 2025 jail-operations funding request before the commissioners was not found.
No endorsements or campaign-finance totals were found in available coverage.

Sources for Rosa

Jack Rosa Jr wins Starke County Sheriff's race (ABC57)

Brack Rowe

Democratic

Brack Rowe is the Democratic nominee; WKVI identified a Brack Rowe as Starke County's chief deputy in 2013 and as a sheriff's deputy in 2019 ^{[27, 28]}. His current occupation was not found.

Rowe's background

WKVI identified Brack Rowe as chief deputy of the Starke County Sheriff's Department in December 2013 ^[27].
In February 2015 WKVI reported that the North Judson town council hired Brack Rowe, a Knox native and Indiana Law Enforcement Academy graduate, as a full-time officer ^[29].
In August 2019 WKVI identified Brack Rowe as a Starke County Sheriff's Department deputy and K-9 handler who competed in a regional K-9 event ^[28].

How Rowe got on the ballot

Filed in January 2026 as a Democratic candidate for sheriff ^[18]; received 522 votes unopposed in the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary ^{[19, 6]}.
Previously announced a run for sheriff in November 2013 for the 2014 primary ^[30] and filed for the 2022 Democratic primary, in which he received 71 votes (5.24%) ^{[31, 26]}.

What we could not find about Rowe

No campaign website, social-media page, questionnaire or interview for 2026 was found; his stated positions on any office issue are unknown.
His current job and whether he still works in law enforcement were not found.
Background items come from WKVI reports from 2013 to 2019 naming a Brack Rowe; no source explicitly links all of them to the 2026 candidate, though the name, county and law-enforcement career are consistent.
WKVI described him as 'chief deputy' in a December 2013 article and as a 'deputy sheriff' in the November 2013 campaign announcement; the 2014 primary result was not found.
ABC57 spelled his name 'Bracke Rowe' in 2022 coverage; county results and the ballot list use 'Brack Rowe'.
No campaign plans were found in available coverage. When announcing a 2014 run, he said he had a strong vision for the future of Starke County, according to WKVI ^[30].
No statements by Rowe about Sheriff Rosa's record were found in available coverage.
No endorsements or campaign-finance totals were found in available coverage.

Sources for Rowe

Avoid Becoming a Victim of Theft Rowe Offers Advice (WKVI)

Key points

Recent office-level issues in county meetings have included replacing an aging patrol fleet, which fund pays for vehicles and equipment, and State Board of Accounts concerns raised by council leadership. (WKVI)
The 0.65% 'Jail CEDIT' rate is unchanged 2025-2027, the 2025 debt report lists $7,478,000 for the justice center/jail, and paying off the jail was discussed Aug 7, 2025. The jail held about 70 people in 2024 against 148 rated beds. (starke.in.gov)

Sources

Researched Sunday, October 11, 2026

2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (County Offices: County Sheriff) (Indiana Election Division)
Indiana Code 36-2-13-5: Duties of sheriff (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
2026 ISA President Statement (Jeffrey A. Balon, Porter County Sheriff) (Indiana Sheriffs' Association)
Indiana Code 36-2-13-2: Sheriff residency and term (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-13-2.8: Sheriff's salary (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
Indiana Department of Correction readies to pay $12 million in jail back payments (Indiana Capital Chronicle (via Inside INdiana Business))
Indiana Code 36-8-10-3: Sheriff's merit board (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Braun signs bill into law requiring jails to tell ICE about potential immigration violations (Network Indiana (via WMNC 95.3))
Illegally in Indiana: New state law aims at cracking down on illegal immigration (WNDU)
Indiana Code 36-2-2-24: County courthouse, jail and offices (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 33-39-1-5: Duties of prosecuting attorneys (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Amendment to deny bail to some offenders moves closer to November ballot (WFYI (via Indiana Public Media))
Jack Rosa Jr wins Starke County Sheriff's race (ABC57)
Updated List of Starke County election candidates (WKVI)
Starke County Primary Election Results (WKVI)
Starke County Sheriff's Office releases 2023-2025 report (WKVI)
Starke County Commissioners to Meet in Special Session Today (WKVI)
Starke County Commissioners Cover Lots of Ground in April 7th Meeting (WKVI)
Starke County sheriff cites public opinion, data concerns for ending Flock contract (WNDU)
Election Central (WKVI)
2022 Primary Election Summary Report (Starke County)
Avoid Becoming a Victim of Theft Rowe Offers Advice (WKVI)
Local K9 Units Team Up for Vohne Liche Kennels' Olympics (WKVI)
North Judson Police Department Adds New Officer (WKVI)
Another Announces Candidacy for Starke County Sheriff (WKVI)
More Candidates File for Candidacy in 2022 Primary Election in Starke, Pulaski Counties (WKVI)

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

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