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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Indiana House, District 71

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 71 covers Jeffersonville, Clarksville and part of New Albany, in Clark and Floyd counties [5, 3].
  • Not an open seat: Dant Chesser is the incumbent. She was chosen by a Democratic caucus in May 2024 after Rep. Rita Fleming retired immediately after the 2024 primary [13]. In November 2024 she defeated Republican Scott Hawkins and Libertarian Greg Hertzsch; in Clark County she received 49.4% to Hawkins' 46.7% [5].
  • May 5, 2026 Republican primary: James McClure Jr. 1,337 votes (55.1%), D.M. Bagshaw 1,090 (44.9%) [14]. Dant Chesser was unopposed in the Democratic primary [15, 14].
  • A Floyd County Republican Party debate before the primary included the Republican House District 71 candidates [16]. No general-election debate or forum for this race was found.
  • Key differences: Dant Chesser's campaign emphasizes jobs, child care, workforce training and government accountability [17]; in 2024 McClure listed repealing "red flag" laws, shrinking state government and parents' rights as priorities [18].

Candidates on the ballot

Wendy Dant Chesser

DemocraticIncumbent

Work
President and CEO of One Southern Indiana since 2012; certified economic developer [17]

Wendy Dant Chesser is the incumbent, in office since June 2024 [3]. She led One Southern Indiana, the Clark-Floyd economic development group and chamber, for more than a decade [3].

Chesser's background

  • Jeffersonville native; graduated from Jeffersonville High School and IU Southeast (business management); certified economic developer [3, 17].
  • Worked in the O'Bannon/Kernan administration and led the Indiana Rural Development Council; president and CEO of One Southern Indiana from 2012 [17, 3]. As of 2024 she was chief director of corporate strategy and external affairs at a regional employer [13].
  • Lives in Jeffersonville [17].

Chesser's positions

Health care

  • Authored the 2025 Medigap "Birthday Rule" law, saying it lowers seniors' risk of being denied coverage because of past claims or pre-existing conditions [8].

Child care

  • Says Indiana ranks 50th in licensed child-care facilities per capita and supports grants, tax credits and support for providers and parents [17]; filed 2026 bills to share child-care costs among the state, employers and parents [12].

Government ethics

  • Filed 2025 bills requiring ethics training for local elected officials and changing local campaign-finance reporting, and backed tighter jail commissary fund reporting [7].

Transportation

  • Opposed allowing more tolling, saying people cross the Ohio River bridges often to work or go to school [7].

Elections & redistricting

  • Opposed the 2025 congressional map, saying Southern Indiana is "impacted more by Louisville than by Indianapolis" [12]; voted no on HB 1032 [11].

Economy & jobs

  • Her campaign says she will keep fighting for the region's share of the state budget and for higher-paying jobs [17].

How Chesser would run the office

  • Campaign priorities: transparency and accountability, jobs, education and workforce development, and affordable child care [17].

Chesser on the current officeholder

  • Is the current officeholder. No statements by Dant Chesser about McClure were found.

How Chesser got on the ballot

  • Unopposed in the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary [15, 14].

Chesser's endorsements and funding

  • iVoterGuide lists endorsements from the AFL-CIO, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, Better Indiana, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates and the Indiana House Democratic Caucus [21]. No 2026 fundraising totals were verified.

What we could not find about Chesser

  • No public statement by her on the Meta data center being built in Jeffersonville was found.
  • Her yes votes on SEA 1 and the 2025 budget are from roll calls; no statements explaining those votes were found.
  • No campaign finance reports were reviewed.

Chesser's record in office

Indiana House record, District 71 (2024-2026) · compiled from the official record, Oct. 12-13, 2026

Authored
13
1 became law
Co-authored
13
6 became law
Co-sponsored
1
0 became law

Committees, 2026 session

  • Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development
  • Financial Institutions
  • Insurance
  • Roads and Transportation
  • Commerce and Economic Development, Interim Study Committee on (House Minority Member)
  • Roads and Transportation, Interim Study Committee on (House Minority Member)

Floor votes

  • 2025: Yes 447, No 60, Excused 1, Not voting 2
  • 2026: Yes 321, No 56
How Chesser voted on 29 selected bills
The 27 bills Chesser carried

  • HB 1225: Pension garnishment for restitution.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Provides that when a court issues a restitution order against an employee beneficiary of the state police benefit system (system), the prosecuting attorney must bring an action requesting garnishment of amounts that the employee beneficiary is entitled to receive under the system.

  • HB 1226: Medicare supplement insurance.

    2025 · Authored · enacted: signed by the Governor

    Prohibits an issuer of a Medicare supplement policy or certificate from denying, conditioning the issuance or effectiveness of, or discriminating in the pricing of a Medicare supplement policy or certificate because of the health status, claims experience, receipt of health care, or medical condition of an applicant who meets certain conditions.

  • HB 1227: Jail commissary fund reporting.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires a sheriff to provide a copy of a jail commissary fund's receipts and disbursements to the county fiscal body on a monthly basis, due not later than the fifth day of the following month.

  • HB 1228: Hunting licenses for disabled veterans.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Creates a new disabled veteran hunting license bundle that includes a discounted yearly deer hunting license and turkey hunting license.

  • HB 1429: Ethics training for local officials.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires an elected county, city, town, or township officer (officer) to complete a two hour ethics training course (training course) every two years.

  • HB 1430: Employee child care assistance partnership program.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Establishes the employee child care assistance partnership program.

  • HB 1431: Campaign finance reports.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires the circuit court clerk of each county to place a copy of each campaign finance report, notice, or other instrument filed with the county election board on the circuit court clerk's or county election board's website in portable document format.

  • HB 1560: Straight ticket voting.

    2025 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Removes a voter's option to vote for all candidates of a political party or an independent ticket at one time (straight ticket voting) in a general or municipal election.

  • HB 1290: Election division software updates.

    2025 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires the election division to gather information necessary to consider the purchase of an upgraded campaign finance computer system.

  • HB 1347: Real estate matters.

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

    Requires a broker company to deposit funds belonging to others into a trust account that the broker company maintains.

  • HB 1376: Emergency medication.

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

    Amends the definition of "emergency medication".

  • HB 1385: Health care facility employees.

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

    Provides an exception to one of the disqualifying conditions for a nurse aide or other unlicensed employee.

  • HB 1441: Bank accounts for foster and emancipated youths.

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

    Provides that a foster youth or emancipated youth is legally competent to enter into a contract with a depository financial institution to open a savings or checking account in the youth's name with the consent of a juvenile court with jurisdiction over the youth.

  • HB 1509: Appointed officials.

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

    Requires disclosure of the appointing authority and term of an appointed public officer: (1) in the meeting notice and agenda of the board on which the public officer is appointed to serve; and (2) on the board's website or appointing authority's website, if any.

  • HB 1561: Tax increment financing.

    2025 · Co-authored · reported from House committee; no House third-reading vote

    Provides that a redevelopment commission may use money from certain funds for the purpose of paying more toward debt service obligations, in order to retire debt service earlier, regardless of whether that use is listed in the redevelopment commission's annual spending plan.

  • HB 1608: E-sports industry development study.

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

    Requires the Indiana economic development corporation to study methods and strategies to allow Indiana to become a leader in the development of the e-sports industry and to submit a report on the results of the study to the governor and the general assembly.

  • SB 307: Environmental waste inventory and grant program.

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

    Allows the Indiana brownfields fund to be used to pay for: (1) studies conducted under the Indiana brownfields program; and (2) the creation of an inventory of brownfields in Indiana (inventory).

  • HB 1400: MEWA for child care facilities.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Allows a group or association of child care facilities to establish a multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA).

  • HB 1401: Employee childcare assistance partnership program.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Establishes the employee child care assistance partnership program.

  • HB 1402: Restrictions on location of tobacco and vaping shops.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Amends a provision to prohibit the operation of a tobacco and vaping business within 3,520 feet of certain school buildings.

  • HB 1403: First time home buyer savings program.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Establishes the first time home buyer savings program (program) for the purpose of assisting first time home buyers who seek to open a first time home buyer savings account (account) at a financial institution to save money for the purchase of a single family residence.

  • HB 1404: Workplace violence restraining orders.

    2026 · Authored · not reported from House committee

    Provides that the chapter regarding the limitation on the issuance of injunctions for labor disputes does not apply to a case to obtain a workplace violence restraining order to protect an employee from unlawful violence or a credible threat of violence solely related to a dispute arising between two employees over their own personal controversy if the dispute does not involve claims governed by a

  • HB 1003: Boards and commissions.

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

    Creates the agricultural promotion and regulation task force to study various agriculture related topics.

  • HB 1100: Health insurance coverage for adoptive children.

    2026 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Provides that if an adoptive child is eligible for coverage under the Medicaid program and as a dependent under the adoptive parent's private health insurance, the adoptive parent may opt out of the adoptive child's participation in the Medicaid program.

  • HB 1216: Hyperbaric oxygen treatment program.

    2026 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Requires the Indiana department of veterans' affairs to establish and administer a hyperbaric oxygen treatment program (program) to make grants to certain providers to provide diagnostic testing and hyperbaric oxygen treatment to qualified service members.

  • HB 1218: Straight ticket voting.

    2026 · Co-authored · not reported from House committee

    Removes a voter's option to vote for all candidates of a political party or an independent ticket at one time (straight ticket voting) in a general or municipal election.

  • HB 1256: Campaign finance reports of local candidates.

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

    Requires the circuit court clerk of each county to place a copy of each campaign finance report, notice, or other instrument filed with the county election board on the circuit court clerk's or county election board's website in portable document format.

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 Chesser's record came from

Chesser's campaign website

Sources for Chesser

James R. McClure, Jr.

Republican

James McClure Jr. is an Air Force and Navy veteran who has worked in information technology [18]. He lost the 2024 Republican primary for this seat and won the 2026 primary with 55.1% [19, 14].

McClure's background

  • In a 2024 LPM questionnaire he described himself as a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, including a 2005 deployment to Iraq, with 30 years in IT and more than 20 years of citizen activism [18].
  • Lists an associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force (1990), four years in the Air Force and five in the Navy Reserve, and Knights of Columbus membership [20]. Has previously sought a U.S. House seat [20].

McClure's positions

Public safety

  • In 2024 listed eliminating "red flag" laws and other state laws he considers unconstitutional as a priority [18].

Taxes & government

  • In 2024 called for reducing the size and scope of state government by eliminating waste and redundancy to ease the tax burden [18].

Education

  • In 2024 said he would protect parents' right to raise and educate their children as they see fit [18].

How McClure would run the office

  • In 2024 said he would work with the next governor to "nullify federal overreach" and promised to serve a full term if elected [18].

How McClure got on the ballot

  • Lost the 2024 Republican primary for District 71 to Scott Hawkins, 3,199 votes to 880 [19].
  • Won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over D.M. Bagshaw, 1,337 votes (55.1%) to 1,090 [14].

McClure's endorsements and funding

  • iVoterGuide lists an endorsement he reported from state Sen. Chris Garten [20]. In 2024 he said he had accepted only local donations [18]. No 2026 fundraising totals were verified.

What we could not find about McClure

  • His positions above come from a 2024 questionnaire; no 2026 questionnaire answers, campaign website or news interviews were found.
  • The Indiana Capital Chronicle voter guide could not be reviewed for this profile. iVoterGuide lists a 2014 contribution from him to a Democratic Party organization [20].
  • What he said at the Floyd County Republican debate was not reported in the sources found.
  • No 2026 statements by McClure about Dant Chesser or her record were found.

Sources for McClure

Key points

  • House District 71 covers Jeffersonville, Clarksville and part of New Albany, in Clark and Floyd counties. (Louisville Public Media)
  • Key differences: Dant Chesser's campaign emphasizes jobs, child care, workforce training and government accountability; in 2024 McClure listed repealing "red flag" laws, shrinking state government and parents' rights as priorities. (Friends of Wendy Dant Chesser (campaign))
  • A Floyd County Republican Party debate before the primary included the Republican House District 71 candidates. No general-election debate or forum for this race was found. (Louisville Public Media (via IPM))

Sources

Researched Saturday, October 10, 2026

  1. Indiana House of Representatives (Wikipedia)
  2. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  3. State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser: biography and committees (Indiana House Democratic Caucus)
  4. Dant Chesser wins to keep the Indiana House District 71 seat (Louisville Public Media)
  5. Newsroom: Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (2025 releases on HB 1226, HB 1208, HB 1461 and 2025 bills) (Indiana House Democratic Caucus)
  6. Dant Chesser celebrates signing of her bill creating Medicare savings for seniors (Indiana House Democratic Caucus)
  7. House Roll Call 28: HB 1032 (Redistricting), third reading (Indiana General Assembly (roll-call PDF mirrored by FastDemocracy/BillTexts))
  8. Newsroom: Rep. Dant Chesser (releases on the congressional map, 2026 bills and HB 1343) (Indiana House Democratic Caucus)
  9. Recently selected Southern Indiana Rep. hopes to keep seat over two challengers (Louisville Public Media)
  10. 2026 Indiana House of Representatives election (Wikipedia)
  11. 2026 primary elections: Here's who's running in Clark, Floyd counties (Louisville Public Media)
  12. Republican candidates outline commitments for Indiana House District 72 race (Louisville Public Media (via IPM))
  13. Wendy Dant Chesser for State Representative (Friends of Wendy Dant Chesser (campaign))
  14. LPM Southern Indiana Primary Voter Guide: State Representative District 71 (Louisville Public Media)
  15. 2024 Southern Indiana primary election results (Louisville Public Media)
  16. James R. McClure Jr.: State Representative, District 71 (iVoterGuide)
  17. Wendy Dant Chesser: State Representative, District 71 (iVoterGuide)
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.