For State Representative District 9, Pat Boy defeated Dan Granquist with 63% of the vote. For State Representative District 20, Jim Pressel beat Karen Salzer with nearly 61% of the vote. In the Prosecuting Attorney 32nd Circuit race, John Lake defeated Christina Espar 55% to 45%. For County Commissioner District 1, Sheila Brillson narrowly defeated Connie Gramarossa 51% to 49%. In the County Council District 2 race, Randy Novak beat Jim Rice with nearly 60% of the vote. Just over 66% of voters chose Mark Yagelski over Christopher Jackson for County Council District 3. For Center Township Trustee, Lisa Pierzakowski defeated Greg Wallen earning nearly 58% of the vote. 3 Center Township board members were chosen including: Robert Wellinski, May Burris and Scotty Ford. For the Michigan Township Trustee race, Rodney Washington beat Keith Harris with just over 60% of the vote. Overall 49% of registered voters locally turned out to cast their ballot.
Rep. Jackie Walorski defeated Democrat Mel Hall to win re-election to a fourth term in northern Indiana’s 2nd District. Republican businessman Mike Braun beat Sen. Joe Donnelly, Indiana’s lone statewide elected Democrat. Both candidates portrayed themselves as fans of President Donald Trump during the campaign.
Voters have approved an amendment to the Indiana Constitution obligating the General Assembly to adopt balanced budgets unless two-thirds of the members of both chambers vote to suspend the requirement. The amendment twice cleared the General Assembly after Vice President Mike Pence first proposed it in the 2015 State of the State address when he was Indiana’s governor. The constitution already largely banned the state from incurring debt, except in times of war. Under the amendment, the General Assembly would be required to pass a balanced budget unless supermajorities vote to suspend the rule.