Colbert
Campbell
For the first time in history, women now head both political parties in Hamilton County. The quadrennial reorganization of Republican and Democratic parties produced the historic ‘first’ on Saturday when the precinct organizations of the parties conducted their vote for party chairs and other officers.
Laura Campbell has been head of the GOP for the past four years, and was re-elected in a party caucus held at the 502 East Event Center in Carmel.
Mrs. Campbell, who won in a contest over Paul Hevesy, is also a Carmel City Council member and wife of Superior Court Judge Richard Campbell.
With 249 committeemen and vice committeemen voting, Campbell won with 156 votes to 93 for Hevesy, a Fishers resident and newcomer to local politics.
Winning for vice chairman was Will Riley, for secretary was Suzanne Heinzmann, and Raju Chinthala for treasurer. The three were unopposed.
Dayna Colbert won the county Democratic chairmanship over Kevin Patterson, Carmel, by a vote of 116 to 41, Ms. Colbert is a program manager for a market research firm and a Fishers political activist. She succeeds Joe Weingarten, who retired as party chairman after four years.
Other new officers for the Democrats are: Vice Chairman Ronnie Saunders, Secretary Sarah Russell Goddard, and Treasurer Al Moore.
The Democratic caucus was conducted by mail and Zoom because of the ongoing health concern over COVID-19.
The newly elected chair and vice chair in each party will now be eligible to vote for 5th District officers, and those elected at the district level will compose the state committee of each party and choose a state chairman and other officers.
So, all three parties have a woman as County Chair.