Central Indiana Election Day guide: What to know about key mayor, council races

Election Day is Tuesday, and registered voters across the state will flock to the polls for their final say on local leaders in the 2023 municipal elections.

In Central Indiana, Carmel residents will see a contested general-election race for mayor on the top of ballots for the first time in 16 years. In Indianapolis, incumbent Mayor Joe Hogsett faces a challenge from Republican Jefferson Shreve.

Here are the races IndyStar will be watching most closely as returns come in on Election Night.

Election results: See the live vote tallies

Election Day live updates from Indiana: Voters share their priorities

Carmel mayor

Republican Sue Finkam and Democrat Miles Nelson are running to succeed current Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, who is not running for reelection. The winner will serve as the first new face of the growing city since Brainard took office in 1996.

Darin Johnson, a write-in candidate, is also running for mayor, but his name will not appear on ballots.

Finkam and Nelson are both members of the Carmel City Council, where Finkam has served three terms and Nelson is in his first term. Much of the debate in the campaign since the primary has focused on the Hamilton County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a conservative parental rights group that made national news earlier this year when it quoted Hitler in a newsletter.

Nelson has repeatedly questioned why Finkam won’t publicly denounce the group, while Finkam has said Nelson’s focus on Moms for Liberty shows his lack of a plan for the city’s future.

One thing is certain: Neither candidate will take Carmel far off course Brainard’s vision for the city. Both candidates have said in interviews and in an October debate that they appreciate the direction Brainard has led Carmel in for nearly 30 years.

Carmel mayor issues: Sue Finkam and Miles Nelson on housing, roads and sculptures

Indianapolis mayor

Indianapolis voters will elect a mayor to lead the city for the next four years. Two-term incumbent Democratic Mayor Joe Hogsett is facing Republican businessman Jefferson Shreve in a race that likely hinges on Hogsett’s performance on crime and public safety in the city and that could also show just how strong Indianapolis' Democratic leanings are.

This has been Indianapolis' most expensive mayoral race ever. A big reason for that is Shreve's immense wealth, partially from the sale of his company, Storage Express, for $590 million last year. The candidate donated $13.5 million to his own campaign, funding 93% of it.

Hogsett and Shreve: Everything you need to know before voting for Indianapolis mayor

If reelected, Hogsett will become the only Indianapolis mayor other than Republican Bill Hudnut to serve more than two terms since 1970, when Unigov consolidated the city and county governments.

No Republican has won countywide since 2011, when former Republican Mayor Greg Ballard won his bid for a second term.

Carmel and Fishers city councils

The big question across council races in Hamilton County cities is whether Democrats will make any major gains in the traditionally red communities or whether Republicans will maintain majorities.

In Carmel, Nelson’s city council district is the only one currently represented by a Democrat. Seven Democrats are running for council seats this year, and wins could increase the party's influence in the city.

From the primary: 5 takeaways from 2023 Carmel City Council primary races

In Fishers, seven Democrats, including two incumbents, are running for district and at-large council seats in addition to a contested clerk election.

Two Democrats are running for council seats in Westfield and one Democrat is running for an at-large seat in Noblesville.

Fishers elections: Library and school board turmoil puts a spotlight on Fishers. Democrats see an opportunity

Indianapolis City-County Council

All 25 seats on the Indianapolis City-County Council are up for reelection this year, with opportunities for Republicans to make a dent in the 20-5 Democratic supermajority earned in 2019.

Only 15 seats are contested, with two Republicans and eight Democrats already basically guaranteed four-year terms on the council starting in 2024 because they are uncontested in the general election.

Voters will be casting ballots in new council districts for the first time this year. Councilors passed a new district map in May last year as part of the decennial redistricting process that was seen as favorable to Republicans, especially on the south side.

Indianapolis election 2023: What you need to know about the Nov. 7 Indianapolis City-County Council election

Other Central Indiana mayors

While Carmel and Indianapolis races will likely grab headlines Tuesday, other Central Indiana communities also have important local mayor races.

Voters in Lawrence, Beech Grove and Greenfield can select new faces to lead their communities, while Southport voters can choose between Republican incumbent James Cooney and independent candidate Heather Newport, a member of the city’s redevelopment commission.

In Lawrence, Democrat Common Councilor Deb Whitfield is running against Republican David C. Hoffman, who is outgoing Mayor Steve Collier’s chief of staff.

In Beech Grove, Democrat and clerk treasurer James Coffman is running against longtime school board member and Republican Rick Skirvin. The winner will replace Democratic Mayor Dennis Buckley.

In Greenfield, the race to replace Republican Mayor Chuck Fewell includes Democrat Nate Anderson, Libertarian Larry Silver Jr. and Republican Guy Titus.

Indiana voter registration guide: How to check voter status, options to vote, what to know

IndyStar reporter Claire Rafford contributed to this story

Contact IndyStar's state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Key 2023 Indiana Election Day races in Indianapolis, Carmel and more