In southern Indiana’s Orange County, Democrats ran for over half of the township races Tuesday and lost every race that had more candidates than seats, even as the party made gains across Indiana.
In all of the county offices on the ballot, Republican candidates ran unopposed.
Turnout reached 39%, with 5,238 of 13,336 registered voters casting ballots, according to official election results from the Orange Circuit Court Deputy Clerk Lindsay Russell.
About 1,866 of the ballots were straight party votes: 1,617 Republican, 248 Democratic and one Libertarian.
County results
Democrats had 17 candidates in 11 township races in Orange County. Four won in races where they didn’t face competition, and 13 lost.
In Paoli Township, Republican Glenda S. Campbell defeated Democrat Larry Hollan for trustee with 825 votes to 614.
In French Lick Township, Republican Jadon Hinkle defeated Democrat Mark B. Jones for trustee with 777 votes to 408.
Democrats also lost the township board races they contested in French Lick, Orangeville, Orleans, Paoli and Southeast townships. One of the closest was in the French Lick Township Board race, where Republican Cody Radtke won the third of the three seats by 78 votes.
Democrats won three township board seats: Dawn R. Lofland in Northwest Township, Robert Holsapple in Northeast Township and Sarah Jones Whiteman in Stampers Creek Township. Each race had three candidates for three seats.
Democrat Rana L. Friedman also won as Northwest Township trustee, unopposed with 66 votes.
Republicans won the other seven township trustee races unopposed.
In other county races, Sheriff Davy Henderson, Assessor Linda J. Reynolds and Surveyor Matthew L. Cooper ran unopposed. All three are Republicans.
During his first term, Henderson implemented police officer body cameras, 800 radio systems and installed a body scanner in jail “to help eliminate contraband being brought in,” among other changes, according to a May 3 Facebook post from Henderson.
“If given the opportunity, the next 4 years I would like to continue these efforts,” Henderson wrote in the Facebook post.
Commissioner Marshall Noble also ran unopposed in District 1. He has served on the commission since 2019. The commissioners are the county’s executive body, responsible for county infrastructure and public services.
Noble will continue to serve alongside commissioners Richard Dixon and Steve Hopper. According to an April 16 Facebook post, his campaign emphasized improving infrastructure, support for first responders, and more investments in communities.
“I’m proud to be a Republican who believes in fiscal responsibility, accountability, and putting people first,” Noble wrote in the Facebook post.
County council races followed the same pattern. All four district seats went to unopposed Republicans: Chad Hager in District 1, Catherine McBride Henderson in District 2, Jack Hinkle Jr. in District 3 and Richard England in District 4.
State results
Orange County voters also chose a congressional representative and two state representatives, and Republicans carried all three races.
Republican incumbent Mark Messmer won the 8th Congressional District, which includes 753,947 people in southwest Indiana, defeating Democrat Mary Allen with more than 55% of the vote.
Republican Chris May won state House District 65, which includes Lawrence and Orange counties, with 57% of the vote, defeating Independent Sean Steele.
Republican Stephen Bartels won state House District 74, which also includes Lawrence and Orange counties, with 60% of the vote, defeating Democrat Lena Goffinet.
Zoe Reed is a student reporter with the Indiana Newsroom, a learning lab designed to give Indiana University students practical experience in community journalism and provide news coverage to areas where reliable local news is limited or nonexistent. It is funded by a grant from the Community Foundation of Bloomington & Monroe County and housed at The Media School in Bloomington.
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