Hamilton County is undeniably bipartisan

By JOCELYN VARE
Guest Columnist

Not long ago, Hamilton County, Indiana, was a GOP stronghold with uncontested general election races and a longstanding political monopoly. Today, we are undeniably a bipartisan county that is politically balanced. We have grown into a richly diverse community with a variety of perspectives.

Democrats in Hamilton County are no longer invisible, they are expected. They are seen as active contributors to our community, just like Hamilton County neighbors are – dedicated to local service, bipartisan balance, and good government for all.

Balance is a requirement of good government that serves people well. A longstanding political monopoly of any party jeopardizes transparency, openness, and accountability. Although Democrats haven’t yet achieved all the Hamilton County election victories that are hoped for, there are many facts that prove our county is achieving bipartisan balance. MSNBC highlighted Hamilton County as one of the top 10 counties in the nation that has shifted most to Democrats, +28 since 2012. The New York Times showed that Hamilton County was one of only 319 counties in the country (11 percent) that did not increase Trump support from 2020. Notably, the Democratic Presidential candidate won both Carmel and Fishers for the very first time in 2024.

Reversing a national trend and consistently moving toward Democrats for the past 12 years in our red state of Indiana is remarkable. This momentum is not simply the result of our growing population. This consistent shift to Democrats is the result of more strong Democratic candidates who bravely run for an office that has been held by Republicans and hours of hard work from volunteers.

When Hamilton County citizens voted in 2024, they saw one of the most competitive ballots in the entire state. These Democratic candidates won strong support from a cross-section of voters – Deborah Pickett, Joel Levi, Matt McNally, Josh Lowry, Chris Hartig, Stephanie Jo Yocum, Keely Gladieaux, and Tom Wilson.

The Democratic incumbent on the ballot was State Representative Victoria Garcia Wilburn and she won her reelection decisively. Indiana was one of only four states in the nation that reelected all their Democratic office holders. Representative Garcia Wilburn won the cities of Carmel and Fishers for the first time and represents all Hamilton County residents as a Democrat in the statehouse.

Photo provided

Overall, Democratic candidates did very well in Hamilton County amid statewide GOP dominance. For the first time in 20 years, Indiana’s gubernatorial candidate won Hamilton County cities. Jennifer McCormick made Hamilton County one of the top priorities in her campaign, even generously sharing her HQ office space with the other local Democratic candidates.

The Hamilton County Democratic Party launched its largest countywide Get Out The Vote campaign ever in 2024. This campaign was activated by over 235 volunteers across the county. Over 44,000 Hamilton County Democratic voters were reached during the fall campaign. For the second year in a row, Hamilton County Democrats canvassed the most doors in the state. That distinction proves engagement of local Democrats who directly impacted voter turnout. In 2024, overall voter turnout in Hamilton County was 71 percent – one of the highest voter turnouts for the 2024 general election in the entire state. Additionally, Democratic straight-ticket voters in Hamilton County reached an all-time high, while Republican straight-ticket voters in Hamilton County declined.

The first several weeks of 2025 has brought early fundraising successes, and new Hamilton County Democratic Party members join daily. The Hamilton County Democratic Party will elect new county party officers in March. This new leadership team will ensure that the momentum continues and will guide the party into the next election cycle with new ideas, strong outreach and energetic teamwork. The outgoing county party officers have served the growing Democratic community well. Dayna Colbert led the way in Hamilton County for three years as county party chair and currently serves Democrats statewide as the Executive Director of the Indiana Democratic Party.

Hamilton County, Indiana, has grown into a bipartisan county with political balance. It is a pleasant and healthy place to live where different political viewpoints can coexist in a neighborly way. Ultimately, balance helps remind us how special our county is and how much we share.

If you are interested in joining the Hamilton County Democratic Party, visit hamcodemsin.org.

Jocelyn Vare is the chairperson of the Hamilton County (Indiana) Democratic Party. She was the first Democrat elected by the City of Fishers and served as an At-Large city councilor. She also ran for State Senate to represent Fishers residents at the statehouse.