Tipton County Council, District 2

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]

Tipton 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: $-479,790 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): discussed
• wheel tax: none found
• fiscal consultant named in records: Baker Tilly

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

• The Tipton County Council has seven members: four elected by district and three at large, serving staggered four-year terms; it meets monthly at the courthouse ^[27].
• Incumbent Republican Jim Purvis is running for re-election ^{[22, 10]}. He won a three-way Republican primary on May 5, 2026 with 404 votes (59.24%) over Zack Timm (153) and C.J. Taylor (125); Democrat Matthew Terry was unopposed with 148 votes ^[25].
• Purvis won the seat in 2018 over independent Debbie Tragesser, 1,134 to 522, and was unopposed in 2022 ^{[23, 24]}.
• SEA 1 and the local income tax: the Tipton County Council called a special meeting for June 1, 2026 to hear a parcel-level local income tax analysis from Baker Tilly on SEA 1's effects and to consider forming a task force for local governments to work together on income tax distribution decisions; the invitation was extended to declared 2026 candidates ^[28].
• Budget calendar: the council scheduled 2027 budget discussions on Sept. 8, 15 and 22, a public hearing on Oct. 20 and adoption on Oct. 29, 2026, so the current council will adopt the 2027 budget before new members take office ^[29].
• Jail funding: in January 2026 the council advertised $292,000 in additional appropriations for jail supplies, prisoner meals and maintenance from the justice-center LIT fund, which also carries about $1.16 million a year in debt principal ^[30].
• Data centers and energy: the county Plan Commission voted in June 2026 to hold a hearing on a data center moratorium while an ordinance is drafted, and on July 2 sent a favorable recommendation to the commissioners, who scheduled action for July 13 ^{[31, 32, 33]}. A battery energy storage zoning amendment (Ordinance 2026-02) went to the commissioners after a 9-0 Plan Commission recommendation, and a NextEra battery storage project was before county boards in August 2026 ^{[34, 35]}. Purdue Extension held a public information session on data centers at the courthouse on Oct. 8, 2026 ^[36].
• County pay and benefits: in 2024 a committee of the three commissioners, two council members (Jan Smith and Kirk Retherford) and three department heads studied enrolling county employees in the state PERF retirement plan, with first-year costs projected at $600,000 ^[26].
• No candidate forum for this race was found in sources reviewed.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• Budget calendar: the council scheduled 2027 budget discussions on Sept. 8, 15 and 22, a public hearing on Oct. 20 and adoption on Oct. 29, 2026, so the current council will adopt the 2027 budget before new members take office. (Tipton County Council)
• Tipton County government adopted a $20.9 million budget for 2026, about $1,363 per resident; that is +32.9% 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 -7.8% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources