2023 mayoral races are already heating up

Jan. 6—Retired news anchor John Stehr and wife Amy were the first through the door Wednesday to declare his candidacy for Zionsville mayor.

It was the first day to declare candidacy for the 2023 May primary for municipal offices, and candidates crowded the Boone County Clerk's office and spilled into the Boone County Courthouse rotunda to await their turns.

No Democrats filed paperwork this week. Of the voters in the November general election, 7,436 were Republican, 3,248 were Democrat, and nine were Libertarian.

Some candidates came in groups Wednesday, gathering outside and walking in together. They videoed and photographed one another completing their applications, their supportive chatter filling the air.

Stehr said he came early to give himself plenty of time to absorb information for his first run for political office.

Jane Burgess of Zionsville announced in a November statement that she will seek the mayor's office but had not declared candidacy as of press time Friday.

Embattled Zionsville Mayor Emily Styron announced recently that she will not seek re-election. Styron is the town's first Democrat mayor, and this is the final year of her term. Her relationship with the town council has been rocky at best, with Styron largely refusing to attend town council meetings or answer the council's questions about finances.

Council members have complained that they've been denied accurate financial records. Most recently, Zionsville Town Council President Jason Plunkett called for an outside audit of the town's finances on advice from The State Board of Accounts.

Plunkett also declared candidacy for re-election this week, along with Zionsville councilmen Alex Choi and Brad Burk. Other candidates for the council are Bob Harris, Craig Melton, Heather Lusk and Nicholas Plopper.

Lebanon

Boone County Councilman Kevin Van Horn declared his candidacy for Lebanon mayor just three days into his new council term. That pits him against Mayor Matthew Gentry who has overseen extraordinary growth in the city during his two terms.

Gentry did not file with the clerk's office yet but announced in a statement Wednesday that he will seek a third and final term as mayor.

Lebanon's next mayor will face unequaled challenges as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation develops the state's largest high-tech industrial site, LEAP Lebanon, on about 6,000 acres north and northwest of Lebanon. The city council annexed 6,621 acres for the project in 2022, increasing the city's size by 59% in six months.

That put some city leaders at odds with some Boone County Commissioners and Councilmen, but Van Horn did not immediately indicate what issues moved him to seek the mayor's seat.

"After careful thought and consideration, I have determined it is my duty to pursue this new endeavor and work hard to be the next mayor for Lebanon," Van Horn said in a prepared statement. "... Through volunteerism and service, I have dedicated many years to making Lebanon a better place."

"This administration is accomplishing big things, and I know there are critical projects currently underway that need to be completed," Gentry said. "Hickory Junction Fieldhouse, Eli Lilly Life Science Campus, the Waterford Residential Golf Course development, and the LEAP district are all substantial opportunities impacting our city's future and it is crucial that we have bold, knowledgeable, and capable leadership to ensure these community projects are completed without delay in a manner that will maximize the opportunity these historic investments offer."

Lebanon Clerk-Treasurer Tonya Thayer and Lebanon City Councilmen John Copeland, Brent Wheat, and Dick Robertson are seeking re-election.

Whitestown

Matt Sumner is running for Whitestown Clerk-Treasurer. And Cheryl Hancock, Clinton Bohm, Tanya Sumner and Kenneth Kingshill are seeking seats on the town council.