2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Vigo County Council, District 4

Voted on across Vigo County, in district 4. Open seat: Randy Gentry is not on the ballot.

Find your exact ballot All Vigo County races

Who votes on this seat: Only voters who live in District 4 vote in this race. 2026 General Election Candidate List

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]

What the law puts in this job (13)

Serves as the county fiscal body under the name of the county council ^[1].
Sets the county property tax rate and other countywide rates not fixed by state law ^[2].
Appropriates county money; except as otherwise provided by law, money may leave the county treasury only under an appropriation the council makes ^[2].
Adopts the annual budget at a yearly meeting where the county auditor presents budget estimates; budget ordinances must be read on two separate days, and funding an item above the estimates takes a three-fourths vote ^[14].
Adopts a separate salary ordinance setting the pay of county officers and employees and the number of deputies and employees in each office, after considering the commissioners' recommendations ^{[14, 3]}.
Sets pay schedules and job classifications paid from the county general, highway, park and other funds, except that each local health department board sets pay for its own staff ^[3].
Controls spending and revenue collection in the county, including special spending requests during the year ^[6].
Authorizes by ordinance the bonds that fund county road and bridge projects and can create a county housing authority by resolution ^[8].
Serves as the county legislative body as well as the fiscal body in Lake and St. Joseph counties ^[8].
Declares a commissioner's seat vacant when the commissioner moves out of the county or district, and in certain cases can remove a county commissioner from office ^{[15, 13]}.
Becomes the body that adopts county local income tax rates under the 2025 SEA 1 overhaul, replacing local income tax councils; the change is now scheduled for ordinances adopted starting July 1, 2028 ^{[16, 17]}.
Has its adopted budget, tax rate and levies reviewed by the state Department of Local Government Finance, whose county budget order certifies the approved budget, tax rate and levy for each fund ^[18].
Does not run county departments day to day; the commissioners provide administrative oversight and the council provides fiduciary oversight ^[5].

Vigo 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

$394,831

0.4% of the county's adopted 2026 budget · 94% less than 2019, before inflation

2019 $6,227,3332026 $394,831

The year-by-year figures

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

2019: $6,227,333
2020: $6,735,788
2021: $945,791
2022: $258,219
2023: $442,600
2024: $243,240
2025: $279,040
2026: $394,831

Budget lines counted: 0061 COUNTY COUNCIL

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

Also on the record for this office

SEA 1 estimated county-unit revenue change in 2028 vs prior law: $-1,692,030 (LSA)
MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): none found
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.

General Fund cash, in days of spending · 2025

222 days

End-of-2025 General Fund cash divided by a year's disbursements, times 365.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council and commissioners jointly): spending and appropriation decisions

Position 9 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Share of the 2025 General Fund budget spent · 2025

100.0%

Actual General Fund spending divided by the certified budget.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council appropriates; commissioners and officers spend)

Position 9 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

County debt per resident · 2025

$133

Debt outstanding at the end of 2025 (annual financial report).

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council authorizes borrowing; commissioners initiate many projects)

Position 10 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Budget growth, 2023 to 2026 · 2023-2026

+33.1%

Adopted budget, all funds, not adjusted for inflation.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (council adopts the budget)

Position 5 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

SEA 1 estimate for 2028 · 2028 (LSA estimate)

-4.4%

Legislative Services Agency estimate of the county government's revenue change under the 2025 property tax law, compared with prior law.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: set by state law (SEA 1-2025); local rate choices from 2028 change the outcome

Position 2 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source

Property tax cap credits · 2026

22.7%

Tax-cap (circuit breaker) credits as a share of the 2026 levy: revenue the county does not collect because of the caps.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: set mainly by the constitutional caps and the combined rates of all units in the county

Position 3 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Local income tax share of county revenue · 2026

35.2%

How much of the county's revenue comes from local income tax.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: partial: the council adopts local income tax rates within limits set by state law

Position 12 of 17 counties with 50,000 to 150,000 residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)

source · source

Meeting minutes online · 2026-10

Posted as scanned images

Whether the council's or commissioners' minutes are posted online (the better of the two), checked Oct. 2026.

How much this is the officeholder's to decide: high (commissioners and council decide what they post)

About this race

The seven-member Vigo County Council (Terre Haute) is the county's fiscal body. Its four district seats, held by David Thompson (District 1), Nancy Allsup (District 2), Vicki Weger (District 3) and Randy Gentry (District 4), all have terms ending Dec. 31, 2026; at-large members Brad Anderson, Steve Ellis (2026 president) and Brenda Wilson serve through 2028 ^[32]. District seats are voted on only by voters in the district: the 2022 and 2026 results list each council district separately, with 20 to 25 precincts each ^{[33, 34]}.
District 4 is an open seat: Republican Randy Gentry, appointed by caucus in January 2025, did not run ^{[22, 24]}.
The dominant issue for the council in 2025–2026 has been whether the county should help pay for the Vigo County School Corp.'s facilities plan. In October 2025 the council voted 4-3 for Councilman Steve Ellis's Ordinance 2025-2, which would require a voter referendum before county money goes to school construction and bar county funding of a school oversight board; then-President David Thompson declared it invalid and withheld his signature ^{[25, 35]}. On Nov. 12, 2025 the council voted 4-3 (Thompson, Weger, Anderson and Wilson for; Allsup, Ellis and Gentry against) to give $100,000 in casino revenue to an oversight board, with language limiting the county's obligation to that amount ^{[30, 36]}.
In September 2026 the oversight board recommended a $222 million plan ("Option 6.2") to build a new east-side high school and fully renovate West Vigo High School, asking the county for $15 million up front and $6 million a year for 20 years; Council President Ellis referred the commissioners' funding request, and a related Resolution 2026-2, to an ad hoc committee of himself, Allsup and Gentry ^{[31, 37, 38]}.
Budget context: the council adopted a $99.2 million 2026 county budget 7-0 on Oct. 14, 2025, after the budget committee reported cutting about $1 million from requests while finishing raises to the midpoint of a Baker Tilly pay study ^[25]. The proposed 2027 budget is about $124.2 million, with a final vote set for Oct. 13, 2026 (the outcome was not yet in the sources reviewed), along with Resolution 2026-3, which keeps local income tax rates unchanged (including a 0.20% rate for correctional or rehabilitation facilities) ^{[31, 32, 39]}. At the Sept. 1, 2026 meeting the county's consultants discussed the effects of Senate Enrolled Act 1 and a recent S&P bond-rating downgrade ^[31].
District 4 Republican primary (May 5, 2026, unofficial): Dustin (Dusty) Havens 1,160 votes (44.22%), Jim Donohue 578 (22.04%), Justin T. Kunz 558 (21.27%), Chase C. Nattkemper 327 (12.47%). Democratic primary: D. Mark Minnick 839 (42.70%), Maria Eileen David 592 (30.13%), Larry (LT) Thompson 534 (27.18%) ^[34].
The League of Women Voters of Vigo County held a general-election forum for council and commissioner candidates on Sept. 22, 2026, at the Vigo County Public Library, covering school facility funding, council unity, data centers, tax abatements and jail overcrowding ^{[38, 40]}.
Key differences at the forum: Minnick supports county funding for Option 6.2 and said it could be paid through local income taxes; Havens opposes consolidation and proposed remodeling the two existing high schools, though he would support county help with strict conditions. On data centers, Havens supports a moratorium and opposes NDAs; Minnick said limited NDAs could work on some topics but location and overall plans should be public ^{[38, 40]}.

Candidates on the ballot

Dustin (Dusty) Havens

Republican

Republican nominee, small-business owner and Honey Creek Township board member; he opposes school consolidation, supports a data center moratorium and calls himself a voice for taxpayers ^{[24, 38, 40]}.

Havens's background

Owns Dusty's Transmission & Auto Repair (16 years) and DT Oil Service & Race Fuel (8 years); age 51, lives near Riley ^[24].
Member of the Honey Creek Township advisory board since a January 2025 Republican caucus appointment ^{[23, 22, 24]}.
President-elect of the Lost Creek Conservation Club; also lists a past leadership role with the Riley American Legion SAL ^[24].

Havens's positions

Budget & taxes

Says "I want to be a voice for the taxpayers of Vigo County" and describes himself as a conservative steward of taxpayer money ^[24].
Opposes consolidating the high schools and proposed remodeling the two existing schools, but supports county assistance with strict conditions on spending: "Is there a better way than 6.2? I think there is" ^[38].

Public safety & jail

Lists safety and cleanliness, including enforcing litter and pet-abandonment laws, and crime reduction as priorities ^[24].

Economic development

Argues "When our roads are safe and our streets are clean, we eliminate the barriers keeping businesses from moving here"; also lists infrastructure and affordable housing ^[24].

Data centers & energy projects

Supports a moratorium and opposes NDAs: "I don't think we need to have NDAs. I think it should be public." Said leaders should study other counties to know what to ask ^[40].

How Havens would run the office

Says he is prepared to step away from other commitments to focus on the council seat ^[24].

Havens on the current officeholder

Open seat. No statements by Havens about Gentry's record or the council's direction were found beyond his forum answers ^[38].

How Havens got on the ballot

Won the four-way May 5, 2026 Republican primary with 1,160 votes (44.22%) ^[34].

What we could not find about Havens

No campaign website was found.
Honey Creek Township board records were not reviewed for his votes or statements.
Campaign finance filings were not reviewed.
No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found in sources reviewed.

Sources for Havens

Primary race: Vigo County Council District 4 - Republicans (Tribune-Star (via Yahoo News))

D. Mark Minnick

Democratic

Democratic nominee and Terre Haute Police Department sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division; he supports county funding for the Option 6.2 school plan and describes his approach as fiscally conservative ^{[41, 38]}.

Minnick's background

Has worked in law enforcement for more than 19 years, the last 17 with the Terre Haute Police Department, where he is a sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division ^[41].
Says he has lived in Vigo County for almost 42 years and lives in District 4 ^[41].

Minnick's positions

Budget & taxes

Says "I care deeply about fiscally conservative decisions, while still working to grow our community" ^[41].
Supports county funding for Option 6.2, calling it "an investment for our county, for our kids," and said it could be funded through local income taxes ^[38].

Data centers & energy projects

Said he understands the purpose of NDAs and that limited ones could work for certain topics, but "In this scenario, 95% of protection is on one side"; said overall plans, including location, should be public, and that a moratorium is not the council's decision ^[40].
Named public safety, schools, the energy grid and parks as uses for community-benefit money ^[40].

Transparency

Says "local government works best when it's thoughtful, transparent, and focused on the people it serves" ^[41].

How Minnick would run the office

Says he wants Vigo County to be a place young people choose to stay; his website's priorities section contains no written proposals ^[41].

Minnick on the current officeholder

Open seat. Minnick has said decisions made locally "affect real people, real budgets, and real futures"; no statements about Gentry's record were found ^[41].

How Minnick got on the ballot

Won the three-way May 5, 2026 Democratic primary with 839 votes (42.70%) ^[34].

What we could not find about Minnick

The Tribune-Star's primary preview of the District 4 Democratic race could not be reviewed for this profile.
No independent news profile was found; background is self-reported.
Campaign finance filings were not reviewed.
No prior elected office was found in sources reviewed.
No endorsements are listed on his website; campaign finance reports were not found ^[41].

Minnick's campaign website

Sources for Minnick

Mark Minnick for Vigo County Council District #4 (Minnick campaign)

Key points

District 4 is an open seat: Republican Randy Gentry, appointed by caucus in January 2025, did not run. (Tribune-Star (via Yahoo News))
Vigo County government adopted a $99.2 million budget for 2026, about $931 per resident; that is +33.1% 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 -4.4% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources

Researched Sunday, October 11, 2026

Indiana Code 36-2-3-2: County council as fiscal body; size (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-5-2: Tax rates and appropriations (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-5-3: Compensation of officers and employees (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-3-4: Council districts and at-large members (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Commissioners Responsibilities (Boone County, Indiana)
About the County Council (Hancock County, Indiana)
Indiana Code 36-2-3-1: Application of chapter (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
County Government Overview: Indiana (National Association of Counties (NACo))
Indiana Code 36-2-3-3: Election and term of fiscal body (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
Monroe County voters put three incumbent Democrats back on county council (The B Square Bulletin (Dave Askins))
Indiana Code 3-8-1-22: Candidates for county council (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (Indiana Election Division)
Indiana Code 36-2-5-11: Annual budget, tax rate and salary ordinances (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Indiana Code 36-2-2-5: Qualifications and residency of members; district or countywide election (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
Major Changes to Expenditure Rate of LIT in SEA 1 (2025) (Barnes & Thornburg LLP)
Legislation Affecting Local Income Taxes (memorandum on HEA 1210-2026) (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
County Specific Information (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
Randy Gentry takes Vigo County Council seat for District 4 (Tribune-Star (via Yahoo News))
New candidates sworn in for several office vacancies in Vigo County (MyWabashValley.com (WTWO/WAWV))
Primary race: Vigo County Council District 4 - Republicans (Tribune-Star (via Yahoo News))
County Council Meeting Minutes, October 14, 2025 (Vigo County Council)
County Council Meeting Minutes, November 12, 2025 (Vigo County Council)
County Council Sunshine Meeting Minutes, September 1, 2026 (in Oct. 13, 2026 council packet) (Vigo County Council)
County Council Meeting packet and agenda, October 13, 2026 (Vigo County Council)
Election Summary Report, 2022 General Election (final unofficial results) (Vigo County, Indiana)
Election Summary Report, May 5, 2026 Primary Election (unofficial summary canvass) (Vigo County, Indiana)
Vigo County Council President declares school ordinance invalid (MyWabashValley.com (WTWO/WAWV))
Weger's change of vote allows an oversight board to be created (MyWabashValley.com (WTWO/WAWV))
County Council Meeting Minutes, September 8, 2026 (in Oct. 13, 2026 council packet) (Vigo County Council)
Vigo County council, commissioner candidates address questions on funding for school facilities (Tribune-Star (via Yahoo News))
Notice to Taxpayers: Hearing on Proposed Local Income Tax Resolution 2026-3 (Vigo County Council)
Vigo county council, commissioner candidates say no to data center nondisclosure agreements (Tribune-Star (via Yahoo News))
Mark Minnick for Vigo County Council District #4 (Minnick campaign)

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Candidate lists: As of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
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