Valparaiso, Indiana sample ballot 2026

McCarthy is the City Attorney for Hobart and has nearly 20 years of legal experience in Northwest Indiana, including serving as legal counsel to municipalities and as a judge pro tempore across the region, per the campaign site. She previously spent a decade leading behavioral health programs and advocating for crime victims and their families, per the campaign site. She was named a 2022 Northwest Indiana Most Influential Woman Lawyer, per the campaign site.

Buckley has served as Porter County Superior Court Judge since 2021 and previously served as Lowell Town Court Judge from 2016 to 2020, per Buckley campaign site. He teaches as an adjunct professor at Valparaiso University School of Law and chairs Indiana's statewide Problem-Solving Courts Committee, presiding over Porter County's adult mental health problem-solving court, per Buckley campaign site. He served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a motor transport operator and machine gunner with the Third Battalion, Third Marines, per Buckley campaign site.

Balon began his law enforcement career in 1992 with the Valparaiso Police Department, serving 12 years in patrol and 13 years in investigations, including as Assistant Commander of the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force, per his campaign site. He holds an associate degree in Law Enforcement from Vincennes University and a bachelor's degree in Public Safety Management from Calumet College of St. Joseph, and is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, per his campaign site. He serves as 2026 President of the Indiana Sheriffs' Association and a board member of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, per his campaign site.

Bowles serves as Chief Deputy of the Porter County Coroner's Office, a position he has held for seven years, with more than 10 years of experience as a deputy coroner, per Bowles campaign site. He has 22 years of law enforcement experience spanning corrections, patrol, and corporate investigations, and is a certified non-violent crisis de-escalation instructor, per Bowles campaign site.

Max Engling is the Republican candidate for Indiana Secretary of State. He has worked on the U.S. House Administration Committee, in agricultural education with Beck's Hybrids, and most recently in U.S. Senator Jim Banks' office, per his campaign site. He holds a bachelor's degree from IUPUI and a master's degree in National Defense and Strategic Planning from the U.S. Naval War College.

Beau Bayh is the Democratic candidate for Indiana secretary of state and an attorney, per his campaign site. His campaign emphasizes election administration, public trust and business services.

Shillings is the Libertarian nominee for Indiana Secretary of State and a Creative Director at the University of Indianapolis and small business owner since 2000, per the campaign site. Shillings chairs the Hamilton County Libertarian Party, serves on the Libertarian Party of Indiana State Central Committee, and holds a degree in Community and Nonprofit Leadership, per the campaign site.

Greg Ballard is the Lincoln Party candidate for Indiana secretary of state on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list; election officials confirmed in July that his petition cleared the signature requirement, per the Indiana Capital Chronicle. A Marine veteran and former mayor of Indianapolis, he says he wants to open up the state's election system, per WNDU.

Elise Nieshalla is Indiana's sitting state comptroller, appointed in November 2023, per the office's official site (in.gov/comptroller), and the Republican candidate for a full term on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. The office oversees state financial reporting, the Hoosier START retirement plan and the Indiana Transparency Portal, per WISH-TV. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

Jessica Bailey is the Democratic candidate for Indiana Comptroller. She has served two terms as Porter County Clerk since 2018, managing payroll, public records and elections, and was named Clerk of the Year by the Association of Indiana Counties and received an election administration award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, per her campaign site.

Daniel Elliott is Indiana's sitting state treasurer, per the office's official site (in.gov/tos), and the Republican candidate for re-election on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list. The treasurer manages state investments, cash, college savings, unclaimed property and public-finance services, per the office's site.

Coumba Kebe is the Democratic candidate for Indiana State Treasurer. She has spent nearly a decade in healthcare administration and business operations, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and holds a bachelor's degree in Community Health and Preventive Medicine and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Indiana University, per her campaign site.