White 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]

White 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: $-906,300 (LSA)
• MUST taskforce (LIT distribution talks): none found
• wheel tax: discussed
• 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 White County Council has seven members: four elected by district and three at large. Its 2025 agendas list four-year terms for the district seats, with all four district terms running Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2026 ^[23]. The county's council page lists District 2 as Honey Creek, Monon and Union 2 precincts and District 4 as Cass, Jackson, Liberty, Lincoln and Union 1 ^[22]. In the May 5, 2026 primary, district council contests drew far fewer votes than the countywide commissioner race (for example 784 Republican votes in District 2 and 867 in District 4, against 3,684 in the Republican commissioner District 3 race), which indicates the district seats are chosen by voters in the district only ^[24]. The council meets monthly in a joint session with the commissioners followed by its own meeting ^[29].
• Issues on the council's 2025 agendas: local income tax and a wheel tax were discussed repeatedly, including a Baker Tilly presentation on the public-safety local income tax and wheel tax (April 21), wheel-tax and local-income-tax data (June 16) and 'Consideration and Discussion of Wheel Tax' (Aug. 18) ^{[26, 27, 23]}. The council also handled tax-abatement compliance forms (CF-1s) for wind, solar and biogas projects, including Indiana Crossroads Wind, Rosewater Wind, Meadow Lake Solar and Wind, Calvary Solar and Bio Town ^{[27, 30]}; sheriff's office requests on a communications trailer, a vacant jail commander position and sheriff's pension funds ^{[31, 26, 30]}; a Monticello Fire Department request for help buying a ladder truck ^{[29, 30]}; a proposal to require council approval for transfers within a budget ^[23]; and adoption of the 2026 budget on Oct. 20, 2025 ^[28].
• White County does not post council minutes on its website, and only agendas could be found; how individual members voted on these items, and whether a wheel tax or new local income tax was adopted, could not be confirmed for this profile.
• District 2 is an open seat in November: incumbent James Annis lost the May 5, 2026 Republican primary to Craig Stevenson (511 to 273). Evan Hatter was unopposed for the Democratic nomination with 92 votes ^[24]. No forums or debates for this race were found.

Candidates on the ballot

Key points

• District 2 is an open seat in November: incumbent James Annis lost the May 5, 2026 Republican primary to Craig Stevenson (511 to 273). Evan Hatter was unopposed for the Democratic nomination with 92 votes. No forums or debates for this race were found. (White County, Indiana)
• White County government adopted a $43.4 million budget for 2026, about $1,725 per resident; that is -12.3% 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 -7.4% versus prior law once fully in effect (2028, since delayed to 2029 by HEA 1210). (Indiana Legislative Services Agency)

Sources