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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Indiana House, District 28

Indiana House of Representatives. 2-year term.

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What this office does

Members of the Indiana House of Representatives write and vote on state laws as part of the Indiana General Assembly. The House has 100 members, each representing one district for a two-year term [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
2 years [1]
Term limit
None [1]
Seats
100 [1]
On the 2026 ballot
All 100 [2]
What the law puts in this job (2)
  • Introduces and votes on state legislation as one of the two chambers of the Indiana General Assembly [1].
  • Must be at least 21 years old when taking office and have lived in the district for at least a year [1].

About this race

  • House District 28 includes portions of Boone, Hendricks and Montgomery counties in central Indiana, according to the House Republican caucus [3].
  • Thompson won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary by about 12 points over registered nurse Sheila Zielinski, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported [9].
  • The general election is a rematch of 2024: WFYI's 2024 voter guide listed Thompson and Democrat Karen Whitney as the District 28 candidates [10].
  • No debate or candidate forum for this race was found in available coverage as of October 10, 2026.

Candidates on the ballot

Jeffrey A. Thompson

RepublicanIncumbent

Work
Taught chemistry, physics and math at Danville Community High School for more than 30 years; director and vice chair of North Salem State Bank [3]

Thompson is the incumbent, in office since 1998, and chairs the House Ways and Means Committee [3].

Thompson's background

  • Taught chemistry, physics and math at Danville Community High School for more than 30 years, serves as a director and vice chair of North Salem State Bank, and runs a hay and straw business, according to the House Republican caucus [3].
  • Served on the Indiana State Fair Board from 1991 to 1998, including as president [11].
  • Holds a physics degree from Purdue University and lives in Lizton [3].

Thompson's positions

Economy & jobs

  • Called the 2025 budget "a budget of freedom" that "prioritizes and spends on our priorities" [4].
  • In July 2025, noted rising Medicaid costs and said a lean budget was necessary, according to his caucus statement [6].

Education

  • The caucus says he led drafting of the school funding formula that shifted state funding to follow students [3].

Property taxes

  • Said in May 2025 that lawmakers provided "much-needed property tax relief and long-term reforms" [5].

How Thompson would run the office

  • Said after the 2025 session, "I look forward to continuing work on these priorities," referring to the budget and tax measures [5].

Thompson on the current officeholder

  • Is the current officeholder. No statements by Thompson about his challenger were found in reviewed sources.

How Thompson got on the ballot

  • Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over Sheila Zielinski by about 12 points [9].

Thompson's endorsements and funding

  • WFYI's 2024 guide listed his notable donors that year as including the Indiana Republican State Committee, Indiana Realtors PAC, Indiana BANKPAC and Duke Energy Indiana [10].

What we could not find about Thompson

  • His individual vote on the 2025 property tax law (SEA 1) was not verified from a roll call.
  • He did not complete WFYI's 2024 candidate survey; no 2026 survey responses were found.
  • Vote totals for the 2026 primary and 2024 general election were not verified.
  • 2026 general-election fundraising reports were not reviewed.

Thompson's record in office

Indiana House record, District 28 (2023-2026) · compiled from the official record, Oct. 12-13, 2026

Authored
12
8 became law
Co-authored
8
4 became law
Sponsored
19
12 became law
Co-sponsored
10
8 became law

Committees, 2026 session

  • Ways and Means (Chair)
  • Fiscal Policy, Interim Study Committee on (House Chair)
  • Pension Management Oversight, Interim Study Committee on (House Chair)
  • Medicaid Oversight Committee (House Majority Member)

Floor votes

  • 2023: Yes 417, No 50, Excused 24
  • 2024: Yes 283, No 27
  • 2025: Yes 374, No 84, Excused 42, Not voting 10
  • 2026: Yes 268, No 97, Excused 10, Not voting 2
How Thompson voted on 37 selected bills
The 49 bills Thompson carried

  • HB 1001: State budget.

    2023 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Appropriates money for capital expenditures, the operation of the state, K-12 and higher education, the delivery of Medicaid and other services, and various other distributions and purposes.

  • HB 1498: Maximum operating referendum tax.

    2023 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Provides that, notwithstanding any increase in assessed value of property from the previous assessment date, the total amount of operating referendum tax that may be levied by a school corporation for taxes first due and payable in 2024 may not increase by more than 5% over the maximum operating referendum tax that could be levied by the school corporation in the previous year.

  • HB 1499: Various tax matters.

    2023 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Makes certain changes to the qualification requirements for the: (1) deduction for individuals who are at least 65 years of age; and (2) additional credit for certain homesteads.

  • HB 1014: County highway supervisors.

    2023 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Establishes a grant-in-aid subsidy for a county highway supervisor's annual salary.

  • HB 1034: Income tax exemption for military pay.

    2023 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Exempts military pay for members of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard from the individual income tax.

  • SB 3: State and local tax review task force.

    2023 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes the state and local tax review task force (task force).

  • SB 325: Homestead standard deduction.

    2023 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Specifies the requirements and the real property improvements considered when determining whether property is a dwelling or a homestead for purposes of the standard property tax deduction law.

  • SB 327: Gary Community Schools.

    2023 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes procedures to appoint members to the governing body of the Gary Community School Corporation.

  • SB 417: Various tax matters.

    2023 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Makes certain changes to the nonprofit organization sales tax exemption threshold after which nonprofit organizations are required to collect state sales tax.

  • SB 419: State tax matters.

    2023 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Changes the definition of "Internal Revenue Code" in the adjusted gross income tax law to mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended and in effect on January 1, 2023.

  • SB 2: Taxation of pass through entities.

    2023 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Authorizes certain pass through entities to make an election to pay tax at the entity level based on each owner's aggregate share of adjusted gross income.

  • SB 434: Economic development in Lake County.

    2023 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes the blighted property demolition fund (demolition fund).

  • HB 1120: State and local administration.

    2024 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Increases the assessed value limit for the disabled veteran property tax deduction from $200,000 to $240,000.

  • HB 1121: Local income taxes.

    2024 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Extends the expiration of provisions concerning a county with a single voting bloc and the allocation of votes for a local income tax council.

  • HB 1199: Economic enhancement district.

    2024 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the legislative body to provide notice and conduct a public hearing before a proposed economic enhancement district may be established.

  • HB 1001: Education and higher education matters.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the definition of "eligible student" to include a sibling of a student with a disability with regards to the education scholarship account program (ESA).

  • HB 1002: Enforcement of equal educational opportunity.

    2024 · Co-authored · passed both chambers; vetoed by the Governor

    Defines "antisemitism", specifies that the public policy of the state is to provide educational opportunities free of religious discrimination, and provides that antisemitism is discrimination on the basis of race, creed, religion, or national origin.

  • HB 1004: Pension matters.

    2024 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that a state employee may affirmatively elect to enroll in the deferred compensation plan prior to the auto enroll date on day 31 of the state employee's employment.

  • SB 147: Child care property tax exemption and evaluation.

    2024 · Sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Amends the property tax exemption for property used by a for-profit provider of early childhood education, including by requiring the provider to offer age appropriate curriculum and by excluding from the exemption tangible property that has been granted a homestead standard deduction.

  • SB 228: Various tax matters.

    2024 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the economic threshold for sales tax nexus to remove the number of sales transactions in the state as one of the two current triggers that require retail merchants to collect and remit sales tax.

  • SB 256: Fiscal matters.

    2024 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides that money in the attorney general contingency fee fund is continuously appropriated and is not subject to allotment.

  • SB 275: Pension matters.

    2024 · Sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House

    Provides that a state employee may affirmatively elect to enroll in the deferred compensation plan prior to the auto enroll date on day 31 of the state employee's employment.

  • SB 295: Indiana economic development corporation.

    2024 · Sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Provides for appointment to the board of the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) of two nonvoting, advisory members who are members of the general assembly.

  • SB 4: Fiscal and administrative matters.

    2024 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Specifies that certain workforce related programs must be reviewed by the legislative services agency at least once rather than every five years.

  • SB 8: Higher education matters.

    2024 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires each high school to: (1) beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, offer the Indiana college core (college core); or (2) not later than October 1, 2024, submit a plan or report that meets certain requirements to the commission for higher education (commission).

  • HB 1001: State budget.

    2025 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Appropriates money for capital expenditures, the operation of the state, K-12 and higher education, the delivery of Medicaid and other services, and various other distributions and purposes.

  • HB 1142: Fiscal matters.

    2025 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Extends the expiration of provisions concerning a county with a single voting bloc and the allocation of votes for a local income tax council.

  • HB 1402: Local government finance.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Phases in a total exemption for business personal property that is placed in service after January 1, 2025.

  • HB 1007: Energy generation resources.

    2025 · Co-authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides a credit against state tax liability for expenses incurred in the manufacture of a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) in Indiana.

  • HB 1136: School corporation reorganization.

    2025 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Provides that, if more than 50% of students who have legal settlement in a school corporation were enrolled in a school that is not operated by the school corporation on the 2024 fall average daily membership count date, the school corporation must be dissolved and all public schools of the school corporation must be transitioned to operating as charter schools.

  • SB 1: Local government finance.

    2025 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Places restrictions on the issuance of certain general obligation bonds.

  • SB 290: Local taxes in certain municipalities.

    2025 · Sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Requires the department of local government finance to increase the maximum permissible property tax levy for certain qualifying municipalities for property taxes first due and payable in 2025 to include all debt service levies of the qualifying municipality for property taxes first due and payable in 2025.

  • SB 451: Income tax rate.

    2025 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides for a decrease in the individual adjusted gross income tax rate beginning in 2030 depending on certain conditions being met.

  • SB 452: Tax incentive review.

    2025 · Sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Amends provisions that apply to the legislative services agency's periodic tax incentives review and analysis.

  • SB 518: School property taxes.

    2025 · Sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Provides that all school corporations that adopt a resolution for a property tax levy for a controlled project or a school safety referendum tax levy after May 10, 2025, must share revenue received from the levy with certain charter schools.

  • SB 2: Medicaid matters.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services (office) to report specified Medicaid data to the Medicaid oversight committee.

  • SB 252: Boone County innkeeper's tax.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Authorizes Boone County to impose its innkeeper's tax at a rate of 8% under the uniform innkeeper's tax statute (instead of 5% under current law) and provides that the increase to the tax rate expires January 1, 2047.

  • SB 346: Rural business growth.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Establishes a state tax credit (credit) for certain capital investments made in rural funds.

  • SB 453: Various tax matters.

    2025 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends estimated quarterly tax payment provisions.

  • HB 1259: Local income tax.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires state agencies and political subdivisions to cooperate with the state GIS officer in preparing a statewide base map.

  • HB 1332: Internal Revenue Code conformity.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Amends the definition of "Internal Revenue Code" for state income tax purposes to conform with certain provisions enacted in Public Law 119-21 (H.R.

  • HB 1406: Tax and fiscal matters.

    2026 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Provides, in a county that uses a property tax statement as the notice of assessment, that the county treasurer must send a property tax statement to all property owners regardless of whether the property has any liability.

  • HB 1329: Real property assessment.

    2026 · Co-authored · passed the House only; did not pass the Senate (not reported from Senate committee)

    Establishes the real property assessment task force (task force) to review issues related to real property assessment in Indiana.

  • SB 212: State income tax conformity.

    2026 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends the definition of "Internal Revenue Code" to conform with certain provisions enacted in Public Law 119-21 (H.R.

  • SB 213: Income tax deduction for theft loss.

    2026 · Sponsored · passed the Senate only; did not pass the House (not reported from House committee)

    Provides an income tax deduction for theft losses that result from certain financial transactions induced by third parties and that cause the individual to incur federal gross income as a result of the theft.

  • SB 243: Various tax matters.

    2026 · Sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Amends and adds state income tax statutes to conform with certain provisions enacted in Public Law 119-21 (H.R.

  • SB 1: Human services matters.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes the Indiana rural health transformation fund and makes allotments and expenditures from the fund subject to budget committee review before the allotment and expenditure may occur.

  • SB 27: Stadium authority.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Establishes the northwest Indiana stadium authority (stadium authority) for the purpose of acquiring and financing certain facilities.

  • SB 4: Various fiscal matters.

    2026 · Co-sponsored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Requires the legislative services agency to perform a fiscal impact analysis for all executive orders issued by the governor within seven days of an order's issuance.

How this record was put together, and what it does not show

What we list: 28 bills chosen by a rule that does not look at topic: both state budgets, four bills named in advance, the 2025-26 redistricting bill, and in each session and chamber the 3 bills whose final-passage vote drew the most “nay” votes.

  • Votes reflect party caucus dynamics. Indiana has Republican supermajorities in both chambers, and many floor votes split along party lines; a single vote says little without the bill and its context.
  • Bills often die for procedural reasons, such as no committee hearing or a deadline, and a bill marked “not reported from committee” may have become law inside another bill.
  • A third-reading vote is on the version in front of the chamber at that time; the final version can be very different.
  • Authoring and co-authoring are different: co-authors sign on, often in large numbers, and usually did not write the bill.
  • Attendance counts roll calls on bills and joint resolutions (about 89% of numbered roll calls). “Excused” is an absence the chamber approved; “not voting” means no vote was recorded.

Where Thompson's record came from

Thompson's campaign website

Sources for Thompson

Karen Whitney

Democratic

Work
President of Clarion University from 2010 to 2018; earlier vice chancellor of student life at IUPUI [12]

Whitney is a higher-education consultant and former president of Clarion University in Pennsylvania who was the Democratic nominee for this seat in 2024 [12, 10].

Whitney's background

  • Was president of Clarion University from 2010 to 2018 and earlier vice chancellor of student life at Indiana University Purdue University (1999-2010), and has worked as a consultant and leadership coach since 2017-2018, according to BallotReady [12].
  • Holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Texas and bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Houston [12, 10].
  • Her campaign site refers to the Brownsburg and Hendricks County community [13].

Whitney's positions

Elections & redistricting

  • Supports term limits, saying "public office should be a responsibility, not a career" [14, 12].
  • In 2024 she proposed term limits and citizen-led initiatives [10].

Health care

  • In 2024 she called for a review of health care policies, including "trusting women to fully determine their own healthcare choices" [10].

Economy & jobs

  • In 2024 she said she would use existing laws, and new tools if needed, to hold companies providing basic necessities accountable [10].

How Whitney would run the office

  • Says she favors "sensible solutions that meet folks in the middle" [13].

Whitney on the current officeholder

  • Says on her campaign site that "For almost 30 years, the same people have been running our government in Indiana," without naming Thompson [15].
  • In 2024 she said many "career politicians get reelected over and over again because there are no other choices" [10].

How Whitney got on the ballot

  • Is the Democratic nominee; BallotReady lists her as a candidate in the May 5, 2026 primary, and she was also the Democratic candidate in 2024 [12, 10, 2].

Whitney's endorsements and funding

  • WFYI's 2024 guide listed endorsements that year from Moms Demand Action, Planned Parenthood, the Indiana Coalition for Public Education and others; 2026 endorsements were not found [10].

What we could not find about Whitney

  • Her campaign site lists few specific policy positions; detailed 2026 positions on property taxes, the budget or education were not found.
  • Whether she faced a 2026 primary opponent was not verified.
  • Her city of residence was not confirmed beyond campaign-site references to Brownsburg.
  • No 2026 fundraising reports were reviewed.

Whitney's campaign website

Sources for Whitney

Key points

  • House District 28 includes portions of Boone, Hendricks and Montgomery counties in central Indiana, according to the House Republican caucus. (Indiana House Republican Caucus)
  • The general election is a rematch of 2024: WFYI's 2024 voter guide listed Thompson and Democrat Karen Whitney as the District 28 candidates. (WFYI)

Sources

Researched Saturday, October 10, 2026

  1. Indiana House of Representatives (Wikipedia)
  2. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  3. Jeff Thompson (Indiana House Republican Caucus)
  4. Indiana passes $44 billion budget in final vote of 2025 session (Post-Tribune (via Yahoo News))
  5. Montgomery County lawmakers: Legislative session ends with passage of balanced state budget, tax relief and other key priorities for Hoosiers (Indiana House Republican Caucus)
  6. Thompson statement on Indiana's fiscal year 2025 report (Indiana House Republican Caucus)
  7. Anti-incumbent fever not evident in Indiana House races (Indiana Capital Chronicle (via Indiana Public Media))
  8. 2024 Indiana State House District 28 (WFYI)
  9. Jeff Thompson (Indiana politician) (Wikipedia)
  10. Karen Marie Whitney (BallotReady)
  11. I Want Change Too (Whitney campaign)
  12. Karen Whitney for Indiana House District 28 (Whitney campaign)
  13. Why Me (Whitney campaign)
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.