This article has been updated to correct the Greenfield City Council seats John Jester and Amy Kirkpatrick are running for.
HANCOCK COUNTY – Multiple municipal positions across the county are up for election this year, and candidates are already throwing their hats in the ring.
Greenfield mayor, clerk-treasurer and most city council seats will be on the primary ballot in May, as will town council spots in Cumberland, Fortville and McCordsville. They’ll be joined by even more positions months later in the general election.
The candidacy filing period opened Wednesday and has already drawn multiple contenders, so far all Republicans.
Along with Greenfield mayor and clerk-treasurer, city council seats for districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 as well as its two at-large spots will also be on the ballot.
Cumberland Town Council Districts 3, 4 and 5 are up for election as well. In Fortville, the town council will have openings for both of its District 1 seats and one of its District 2 seats. For McCordsville, all three of its town council districts will be on the ballot.
Greenfield Mayor Chuck Fewell is not seeking reelection. Kerry Grass, a Greenfield City Council member, has filed for the position so far, as has Guy Titus.
John Jester, currently a Greenfield City Council member representing District 2, has filed for one of the council’s two at-large seats, and incumbents Dan Riley and Mitch Pendlum have also filed to keep theirs. Amy Kirkpatrick has filed for District 2. Joyce Plisinksi has filed for District 3, a post currently held by her husband, George. Thomas Moore is running for District 5, currently represented by Grass.
So far Greg Brewer has filed to keep his District 2 seat on McCordsville Town Council.
The deadline is noon Feb. 3 to file a declaration of candidacy for a major political party.
Kay Skaggs, an election deputy with the Hancock County Election Office, said candidates will need to complete CAN-42 and CAN-12 forms, as well as a CFA-1 if the position they seek earns at least $5,000 a year. All paperwork is available at the election office, located on the second floor of the Hancock County Courthouse, 9 E. Main St., Greenfield.
“A good thing for them to keep in mind is districts are changing,” Skaggs said.
Greenfield, Fortville, McCordsville and Cumberland redrew their council district lines this year following population changes reflected in the 2020 census. Skaggs encourages candidates to reach out to their respective municipalities to confirm their residences are in the districts they seek to represent. Office phone numbers are 317-477-4300 for Greenfield, 317-485-4044 for Fortville, 317-335-3151 for McCordsville and 317-894-6213 for Cumberland. Skaggs added the election office may be able to help too, which can be reached at 317-477-1109.
Voter registration for the primary ends on April 3, and can be completed at indianavoters.in.gov. The primary election is May 2.
The general election is Nov. 7. Those ballots will also include clerk-treasurer and town council seats in New Palestine, Shirley, Spring Lake and Wilkinson.
