Republicans enjoyed a sweep of Vanderburgh Countyโs contested partisan elections on Tuesday, as President-Elect Donald Trumpโs coattails extended down the ballot.
Straight-ticket voting gave local Republican candidates a boost โ 25,862 voters punched a straight GOP ticket, compared to 17,840 who selected a straight Democratic ticket.
Meanwhile, in nonpartisan races, voters chose a new Vanderburgh County Circuit Court judge as well as a new member of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Board of School Trustees.
County government races
Republican Amy Canterbury won the election as a county commissioner, receiving 58 percent of the vote in her race with Democratic candidate Hope Fussner.
Canterbury will take the District 3 seat now occupied by Cheryl Musgrave, who she defeated in the May Republican primary.
Canterbury retired this year as CEO of the United Way of Southwestern Indiana after earlier holding the position of regional CEO of the American Red Cross. She also worked in the banking industry.
Her experience working with Talent EVV during her time at United Way, specifically on issues related to poverty and quality of place, led her to politics. This is her first time holding an elected office.
โThis is a place I felt like I could continue serving the community,โ she says.
Her focus, she says, will be on โmaking sure we can do the most we can with the dollars we have,โ and being a โgood steward of the dollarโ to improve the community. This includes making sure law enforcement and schools have the โtools they need to do their job.โ
Democrat Mike Goebel, the District 1 county commissioner, was re-elected without opposition, and the seat held by District 2 Commissioner Justin Elpers, a Republican, is up for election in 2026.
In the six-candidate election for Vanderburgh County Council at-large, Republicans claimed all three spots. The winning candidates were former Councilman Ed Bassemier, who led the field, followed by political newcomer Joe Kiefer II and incumbent Jill Hahn.
Trailing the trio of Republicans were Democrats Bob Deig, who is an incumbent, Kareese Johnson, and Dustin Stephens.
The other contested partisan races in Vanderburgh County were for recorder and coroner.
Republican Russ Lloyd Jr., a former Vanderburgh County Council member and Evansville mayor who also served as city controller under former Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, prevailed in the recorderโs race. Lloyd defeated Democrat Gina Robinson Ungar with 60 percent of the vote.
Republican Bryan Underwood won the coronerโs race with 56 percent of the vote against Democrat Keith Mosby Jr.
Nonpartisan races
Some of the most anticipated local election outcomes were found at the end of the ballot.
Ryan Hatfield prevailed over Molly Briles in the race for Vanderburgh County Circuit Court judge. Hatfield got 54 percent in the election to succeed the retiring David Kiely.
Hatfield represented District 77 in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2016 to this year and was a deputy in the Vanderburgh County Prosecutorโs Office from 2013-2016. He also worked in private law practice.
โIโm grateful for the support we had from the community,โ Hatfield says. โI felt confident that the community would see my service that put people first and always tried to do the right thing. And Iโm extremely humbled by their support.โ
Hatfield says he will begin preparing to work in the court, โand reviewing the courtโs work to determine what changes will be made. I also will be winding down my law practice.โ
Vanderburgh Circuit Court is one of the busiest court in Southern Indiana, and Hatfield says โwe have a lot to doโ as the judge transition takes place.
โThe courtโs work will continue, and the staff will continue to process cases, magistrates will continue to hear them, and I will assume the circuit court caseload and continue those matters through their resolutions,โ he says.
The EVSC school board had a pair of races โ in one, incumbent Karen Ragland was re-elected without opposition.
In the other school board election, voters made two choices from a field of three and the winners were newcomer Amy DeVries and incumbent Terry Gamblin. The trailing candidate was Josh Barnett, who had appointed by the school board to fill the vacancy created by Amy Wordโs resignation earlier this year.
GOP on top
For the third consecutive election cycle, Trump carried Vanderburgh County in the presidential contest, with 56 percent.
Trumpโs fellow Republican Mike Braun, who will leave the U.S. Senate to become Indiana governor, received 55 percent of the vote in Vanderburgh County.
Republican Jim Banks, elected to replace Braun in the Senate, got 56 percent of Vanderburgh Countyโs vote in his race.
The newly elected Eighth District U.S. representative, Republican Mark Messmer, got 58 percent of the countyโs support. Messmer will replace retiring Republican Rep. Larry Bucshon.
In the only contested local race for the state legislature, Republican Sen. Vaneta Becker gained 79 percent of the countyโs vote in defeating an independent candidate, John Woodard.
