Kelvis Williams beat fellow Democrat Gregory Patrick by about 55% to 45% of the vote in the May 5 primary for Marion County sheriff.
Williams could not immediately be reached by phone. Patrick, though, conceded around 11:30 p.m.
“Mr. Williams is the projected winner,” Patrick told Mirror Indy in a phone call. “I will congratulate him on his electoral win.”
The two competed to lead the sheriff’s office, which manages the jail, warrants, security at county buildings and the sex offender registry.
Williams would inherit the position from Kerry Forestal, a two-term sheriff. He is the executive officer under Forestal and the deputy chief for the Homeland Security Division, which manages security at county government buildings and the Indianapolis 500.
Williams has about four decades of law enforcement experience. His platform includes implementing more checks for sex offenders, increasing staff pay, expanding programming for inmates at the jail and collaborating with community and faith-based organizations to reduce youth crime.
Patrick is a captain at the jail.
No one else has filed to run yet in the November election for sheriff in Democrat-dominated Indianapolis.
Marion County Clerk’s race
Kate Sweeney Bell led Karla López Owens by 48% to about 46% in the Marion County clerk’s race, with 100% of the vote centers reporting at about 11 p.m. Bobby Kern, who died in April, was at about 6%.
The Democrats are facing off to become the next county clerk, a position that includes being the secretary of the county election board and managing records and payments for the local court system.
Sweeney Bell is running for a second term. She is the former chair of the Marion County Democratic Party and has close ties to Mayor Joe Hogsett.
López Owens is a deputy prosecutor and a leader of the Indiana Latino Democratic Caucus. In 2020, López Owens lost a seat on the city-county council in a caucus vote.
Bell will face Republican Robbin Stewart, who ran unopposed, in November.
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Mirror Indy reporter Mary Claire Molloy covers health. Reach her at 317-721-7648 or email maryclaire.molloy@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @mcmolloy7.
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