The board oversees multiple departments, including highway, legal, and veteran’s affairs. It also appoints members to oversight boards, including emergency management, health, parks and recreation and more.
The board’s leadership consists of three spots, one for each district. The seats are held by Lee Jones (District 1), Julie Thomas (District 2) and Penny Githens (District 3).
The deadline for candidates to file closed Feb. 9.
Vying for District 2
District 2 includes Bloomington Township, which covers the northern half of Bloomington and beyond. There are two candidates on the Democrat ballot and no candidates on the Republican ballot.
Iversen currently serves on the Monroe County Council for District 1. He said in a news release that he wishes to focus on issues in housing, tourism, diversity, equity and inclusion, wages, and climate.
Thomas has held the District 2 seat since 2013 and currently serves as the board’s president. She also served on the county council from 2008 to 2012. She has said her priorities include housing security, criminal justice reform and environmental protection.
On the ballot for District 3
District 3 includes Benton Township, Clear Creek Township, Polk Township, Salt Creek Township, Washington Township and parts of Perry Township.
The ballot for District 3 has candidates on the Democrat and Republican ballot, meaning District 3 will be contested in the fall election. Voters must choose a Democrat or Republican ballot in the primary.
Githens is running for reelection. She’s serving her first term on the board. She will go against Steve Volan, former city council member and Jody Madeira, law professor at Indiana University.
On the Republican ballot, Joe VanDeventer and Paul White are both vying for a seat.
In addition to the new jail site and convention center expansion, Githens wants to focus on housing, expanding child care capabilities, food security, substance abuse disorder, mental illness, and connecting inmates to more programming.
With a background in criminal justice education, Madeira’s primary focus is on the jail site. Additionally, she wants to prioritize access to community resources.
Volan has not indicated his priorities.
VanDeventer is currently the director of street operations for the City of Bloomington.
White said county taxation is the issue most important to him. He said he is running because county government needs politically diverse opinions.
Four candidates running for three County Council at-large positions
Also in local races, the three at-large council member positions are up for election this year.
The County Council sets the budget for county government. The at-large members represent all of Monroe County’s financial interests.
Candidates running for reelection include Trent Deckard and Cheryl Munson. Geoff McKim, who is also an at-large council member, is not running for reelection.
In addition to Deckard and Munson, Matt Caldie and David Henry, Monroe County Democratic Party chair, are also vying for the position.
Deckard cited a lack of access to affordable housing, childcare and food as issues for the county to address.
Munson says the three pillars of her campaign are fiscal responsibility, resource preservation and building resilience.
Henry said he is running to help secure Monroe County's economic future and to help address poverty and high housing costs.
Caldie’s news release says that he will focus on building an economy with expanded job opportunities, strong wages and more affordable housing.
The winners of each party’s primary election on May 7 will face off in Indiana’s general election Nov. 5.
A full list of candidates in the entire state can be found here.
