While the nation waits to see which major party will control Congress next year, many Marion County voters will be eyeing a much smaller unit of government: townships.
Six of the county’s nine townships featured contested races for roles such as trustee, constable and judge.
Trustees manage offices that provide assistance to residents to pay for rent, medicine and other needs.
Constables serve orders, such as eviction notices, for township small claims courts, where they also provide security.
Township judges oversee small claims courts where people bring civil claims worth $10,000 or less, including eviction proceedings.
Here’s a look at township races across the county.
Center Township
Democrat Kenneth Allen is facing independent Melvin ‘Major’ Hall in the race for township constable of small claims court.
Both candidates identified the city’s high rate of evictions as one of the key issues they would tackle as constable. Allen said he would prioritize modernizing the township’s forms so residents can access assistance more easily online.
Hall said he would wear a body camera to every eviction to create a record of how people were treated. He also said he would partner with organizations to hold people’s belongings for up to a month to ease the burden immediately after an eviction.
Decatur Township
Republican incumbent Jason Holliday is facing Democrat Elise Fecteau in the race for township trustee.
Holliday, who is also a member of the Decatur Township Civic League and its land use committee, said he has a successful track record communicating resident concerns to developers. He also opposes township consolidation, and said that Decatur has successfully partnered with Wayne Township to share resources.
Fecteau did not respond to Mirror Indy’s 2026 candidate survey.
Franklin Township
Republican incumbent Danny Meador is facing Democrat Temica S. Key in the race for township trustee.
Key said her focus as a trustee would be to make the office more visible and accessible so residents can access assistance sooner. She said she would partner with other organizations serving Franklin Township and strengthen outreach through social media and community events.
Meador did not respond to Mirror Indy’s 2026 candidate survey.
Perry Township
Republican incumbent Patty Hagenmaier is facing Democrat Ben Brown in the race for township trustee.
Republican incumbent David Taylor is facing Democrat Jerry Melvin in the race for constable of small claims court.
Republican incumbent Cheryl Rivera is facing Democrat Jami R. Sayeed in the race for township judge.
None of the Perry Township candidates responded to Mirror Indy’s 2026 candidate survey.
Washington Township
Democrat incumbent Frank T. Short is facing Republican Karen S. Momper in the race for township trustee.
Momper said communication with constituents is a key issue facing the office. She said she would improve communication by establishing social media accounts and updating the township’s website. She also said she supports township consolidation.
Short did not respond to Mirror Indy’s 2026 candidate survey.
Wayne Township
Democrat incumbent Jeb Bardon is facing Republican Kent E. Wells in the race for township trustee.
Bardon pointed to his work to cut costs as the township faced “a very real fiscal crisis” when he became trustee in 2022. The township merged its emergency services operations with Indianapolis EMS, sought cheaper vendors and contracts, and eliminated positions.
Wells said he would look to the private sector, including seeking corporate partners, to help combat the effects of a shrinking budget. As the township office is located on a major bus line, he also said would consider providing transportation assistance to residents.
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Emily Hopkins is a senior reporter at Mirror Indy. You can reach them by phone or Signal at 317-790-5268 or email at emily.hopkins@mirrorindy.org. Follow them on most social media @indyemapolis or on Bluesky @emilyhopkins.bsky.social.
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