Karla Lopez-Owens

Candidate Q&A

What is the main issue facing Marion County voters that you believe you could address as clerk?

I think easy and predictable access to local government agencies is one of the main issues facing Marion County voters that I will address as Clerk of the Court. I am excited about government work, but I understand that poor leadership has caused many people to lose confidence in local agencies. I’m going to change that. Through a people first approach, I’m going to enhance public access to government services, break barriers down and demystify these processes, starting with taking these services directly to the people. When elected, I’m going to implement strategies I’ve utilized in my role as Director of Community Outreach with MCPO. Through this, I know we can reverse our historic low voter turnout and drive engagement up. At every resource fair, community event, town hall, school, community celebration, or religious celebration – anywhere I can help people, you can count on me to be there, rain or shine.

What makes you qualified or uniquely fit for the position?

I’m an attorney, I’m a fighter and I have a vision to create an unprecedented wave of civic engagement that truly meets this moment. I’ve been fighting to improve access to local government services, resources and the ballot box for the last 15 years. I don’t wait, I act – and bring everyone along. When I earned my U.S. Citizenship at age 18, the first thing I did was register to vote. When I saw that Marion County continued to rank at the bottom for voter engagement and voter turnout, I picked up my voter registration clipboard and got to work. Since then, I’ve made it my mission to change course. These efforts include:

• Serving with the Indiana Latino Democratic Caucus, a volunteer-led organization, most recently as President (2024-2026), and previously as the Voter Education Chair (2019-2024).
• Hosting educational civic segments in Spanish on Telemundo Indy.
• Previously serving as a Voter Outreach Coordinator with TurboVote.
• Previously served as a Bilingual Field Organizer with the Indiana Democratic Party.

As an attorney working in our local courts, I support people navigating these systems, and equip them with resources and tools every day. I see helping people as a continuation of my upbringing: I grew up in a working-class household, and, from an early age, I’ve been helping my family and community navigate complex administrative systems, including asking for fair opportunities to participate in the democratic process. My vision is to make these agencies more accessible, predictable and representative of our growing communities. 

What are the key recordkeeping issues within the courts, and how would you address them?

One of the reasons I’m running for Marion County Clerk is because I want to increase access to court documents. As a government attorney who works in the courts, I see how difficult, intimidating and confusing accessing court documents can be and I want to change that. At the risk of sounding repetitive, I plan to enhance public access to government services (including access to court records), break barriers down and demystify these processes through community outreach, by taking these services directly to the people. I will also continue to strengthen relationships. Courts and Clerk’s Offices have been working together for years statewide on updating systems to ensure that Court and Clerk staff, attorneys, governmental agencies and the public are able to access and share records, so everyone has reliable information needed to serve justice. With technology always changing, modernizing systems will be a never ending task and will always be a central issue for a position like this, and I’m excited to support these efforts.

What are the most pressing challenges to election security and integrity and how would you address them?

I think Marion County has made great strides to ensure safe and secure elections. The real threat is this unprecedented overreach by the federal government, which undermines the integrity of these systems and our democratic rights every day, and is something I pledge to fight back against, using every tool available. Fighting these threats isn’t new to me. I worked in immigration during the first Trump administration and gained experience challenging government decisions in federal court. I’m not intimidated by fighting back. Since I was young, I’ve equipped our communities with tools to protect our constitutional rights and fight for equality. As a student helping community members access the ballot, I’ve seen voter intimidation firsthand and know the importance of empowering people to fully participate in our democracy. Through reactive laws and unchecked power, I believe the federal government will continue to use these systems as weapons. Trump has threatened to “nationalize” and “take over” elections, and we have already witnessed his administration deploy the National Guard against everyday working people. With the passage of House Bill 1343, which creates a National Guard “military police force” and allows the governor to “activate it statewide” like a law enforcement agency with arrest, search-and-seizure and firearm authority, Indiana continues to follow suit. We can’t continue to let the federal government bully us into handing over sensitive voter information so they can take over local elections. I’m ready to challenge these ongoing threats, not be a passive bystander. When elected, I’ll continue to fight. I denounce any third-party meddling or interference with our elections, and promise to use every legal or otherwise available tool to protect our community’s right to vote in free and fair elections.