BEDFORD – The field is officially set for the 2026 Primary Election in Lawrence County. Following the noon deadline today, Feb. 6, the Lawrence County Clerk’s Office has released the final list of candidates seeking office.
Local voters will head to the polls on May 5, 2026, to settle several contested Republican races for county-wide positions and a multi-candidate Democratic primary for the Ninth District U.S. Congressional seat.
The final roster of candidates is as follows:
Federal and State Offices
U.S. Representative, Ninth District
- Erin Houchin (R)
- James H. (Jim) Graham (D)
- Brad A. Meyer (D)
- Tim Peck (D)
- Keil L. Roark (D)
State Representative, District 065
- Chris D. May (R)
Judicial and County-Wide Offices
Judge of the Lawrence Circuit Court, 81st Judicial Circuit
- Nathan G. Nikirk (R)
Judge of the Lawrence Superior Court, No. 2
- Robert (Bob) Cline (R)
Prosecuting Attorney of Lawrence County, 81st Judicial Circuit
- Samuel C. Arp, II (R)
Lawrence County Sheriff
- Greg Day (R)
Lawrence County Assessor
- April Stapp Collins (R)
County Commissioners
Lawrence County Commissioner, District 1
- Brad Bough (R)
- Jason Branham (R)
- Rick Butterfield (R)
- Bob Evans (R)
- Gary Koontz (R)
- Tim Turpin (R)
County Council
Lawrence County Council, District 1
- Joe Haworth (R)
- Amy Redman (R)
Lawrence County Council, District 2
- Chester Lee Batman (R)
- Phil Inman (R)
- Brian Skillman (R)
Lawrence County Council, District 3
- David Holmes (R)
- Jeffrey Lytton (R)
- Ray Todd Stevens (R)
Lawrence County Council, District 4
- Larry Arnold (R)
- Brian Prince (R)
Township Trustees
- Bono: Michelle L. Porter (R)
- Guthrie: Jeffrey H. Combs (R)
- Indian Creek: Gary K. Scherschel (R)
- Marion: Shannon M. Lagle (R)
- Marshall: Christopher D. Noel (R)
- Perry: Carla Bomgardner (R)
- Pleasant Run: James Edsel Ford (R)
- Shawswick: Millard Jones (R)
- Spice Valley: Michelle D. Cornett (R)
Township Board Members
Bono Township
- Jon J. Malott (R), Adam R. Norman (R), Vickie “Dusty” Tolbert (R)
Guthrie Township
- Michael Bierbaum (R), Bretta Myers (R), Tyler Thompson (R)
Indian Creek Township
- Diana Anderson (R), Justin Leach (R), Bruce Reeves (R)
Marion Township
- Lucinda Fletcher (R), Latoya L. Lamm (R), Henry Shetler (R)
Marshall Township
- Kenton James Stultz Pardue (R), Hunter A. Smith (R), Joseph Stettenbenz (R)
Perry Township
- Alexandra Edwards (R), Tyson Fish (R), Tammy Spoonmore (R)
Pleasant Run Township
- Crystal A. Dooley (R), Paul Ford (R), Corbin McCullough (R), Michael S. Nicholson (R)
Shawswick Township
- Jennie Edwards (R), Amy Kleber (R), Linda Sue Randolph (R), Andrew J. Rusch (R), Julie Morris (D)
Spice Valley Township
- David A. Kissel (R), Tony Lynch (R), Philip M. Smith (R)
Looking Ahead
With the filing period closed, candidates now have until noon on Feb. 13 to voluntarily withdraw their names from the primary ballot.
Voter registration for the primary election remains open until April 6, 2026. Residents can register in person at the voter registration office or online at IndianaVoters.com. Early voting is scheduled to begin at the courthouse on April 7, 2026.
