2026 Indiana Secretary of State election
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November 3, 2026
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| Elections in Indiana |
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The 2026 Indiana Secretary of State election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the secretary of state of Indiana. Incumbent Republican secretary of state Diego Morales ran for re-election, but was eliminated at the Republican convention by Max Engling.[2][3]
Republican convention
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]Eliminated at convention
[edit]- Diego Morales, incumbent secretary of state (2023–present)[2]
- Jamie Reitenour, businesswoman and 2024 gubernatorial candidate[5]
- David Shelton, Knox County clerk (2019–present), Knox County Republican Party chair (2022–present), and 2022 secretary of state candidate[6]
Declined
[edit]- Kyle Conrad, former Newton County clerk[7]
- Andrew Ireland, state representative from the 90th district (2024–present) (endorsed Engling; running for re-election)[4]
Endorsements
[edit]Max Engling
- U.S. senators
- U.S. representatives
- Jim Baird, IN-04 (2019–present)[9]
- Erin Houchin, IN-09 (2023–present)[8]
- Victoria Spartz, IN-05 (2021–present)[9]
- Statewide officials
- Daniel Elliott, treasurer of Indiana (2023–present)[10]
- State legislators
- Andrew Ireland, state representative from the 90th district (2024–present)[4]
Diego Morales
- U.S. senators
- Statewide officials
Todd Rokita, attorney general of Indiana (2021–present)(endorsement rescinded)[11]
- Organizations
David Shelton
- Statewide officials
- Connie Lawson, former secretary of state of Indiana (2012–2021)[13]
Declined to endorse
- Statewide officials
- Micah Beckwith, lieutenant governor of Indiana (2025–present)[14]
- Mike Braun, governor of Indiana (2025–present)[14]
Fundraising
[edit]| Campaign finance reports as of April 15, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Diego Morales (R) | $1,294,160 | $95,042 | $1,199,118 |
| Jamie Reitenour(R) | $2,980 | $79 | $2,900 |
| David Shelton (R) | $28,366 | $24,682 | $3,684 |
| Source: Indiana Secretary of State[15] | |||
Results
[edit]| Republican convention results[16] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Round 1 | Round 2 | |||||||
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||||
| Max Engling | 715 | 42.7 | 867 | 53.3 | |||||
| David Shelton | 543 | 32.4 | 627 | 38.5 | |||||
| Diego Morales | 283 | 16.9 | 134 | 8.2 | |||||
| Jamie Reitenour | 135 | 8.1 | Eliminated | ||||||
| Total ballots | 1,676 | 100.00 | 1,628 | 100.00 | |||||
Democratic convention
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]Eliminated at convention
[edit]- Blythe Potter, business owner[19]
Endorsements
[edit]Beau Bayh
- Labor unions
- Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters[20]
- Heat and Frost Insulators Local 18[20]
- Indiana Laborers District Council[20]
- Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Local 20[20]
- United Association Local 440[20]
- Organizations
- Political parties
Blythe Potter
- Organizations
Fundraising
[edit]| Campaign finance reports as of April 15, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Beau Bayh (D) | $2,181,754 | $207,655 | $1,974,099 |
| Blythe Potter (D) | $136,198 | $69,594 | $66,604 |
| Source: Indiana Secretary of State[24] | |||
Results
[edit]| Democratic convention results[25] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Round 1 | ||||||||
| Votes | % | ||||||||
| Beau Bayh | 1,385 | 61.00 | |||||||
| Blythe Potter | 883 | 39.00 | |||||||
| Total ballots | 2,269 | 100.00 | |||||||
Third parties and independents
[edit]Libertarian Party
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Lauri Shillings, business owner and nominee for Indiana's 5th congressional district in 2024[26][27]
Lincoln Party
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Greg Ballard, former Republican mayor of Indianapolis (2008–2016)[28]
Socialist Party of Indiana
[edit]Not on ballot
[edit]Write-in candidates
[edit]- Andrew Delano, former Republican nominee for mayor of Gary, Indiana in 2023 (National Socialist American Workers Party)[32]
General election
[edit]Greg Ballard, a former Republican mayor of Indianapolis, is running on a ballot line for a new party called the "Lincoln Party." He seeks to gain ballot access for future elections. Earning 2% of the vote would make the party an official state party, and earning 10% would enable them to hold primary elections. Despite Indiana's status as a solidly Republican state, most observers consider the race to be highly competitive due to Ballard's presence, both due to his possibility to act as a spoiler in favor of Democratic candidate Beau Bayh, or even his ability to win the race outright. Ballard is attracting support from across the political spectrum, including from Republicans disaffected by the MAGA movement and from Democrats frustrated by the party establishment.[33] Ballard's presence on the ballot has also raised the political stakes for Libertarian candidate Lauri Shillings. Shillings also needs 2% of the vote to maintain her party's ballot line but can no longer rely on being the primary recipient of protest votes.[34]
Predictions
[edit]| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[35] | Lean D (flip) | October 29, 2026 |
Post-convention endorsements
[edit]Max Engling (R)
- Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[36]
- JD Vance, vice president of the United States (2025–present)[36]
- Statewide officials
- Micah Beckwith, lieutenant governor of Indiana (2025–present)[37]
- Mike Braun, governor of Indiana (2025–present)[38]
Beau Bayh (D)
- Executive branch officials
- Pete Buttigieg, former secretary of transportation (2021–2025)[39]
- State legislators
- Greg Walker, SD-41 (2006–present) (Republican)[40]
- Labor unions
Greg Ballard (I)
- Statewide officials
- Sue Ellspermann, former lieutenant governor of Indiana (2013–2016) (Republican)[43]
Fundraising
[edit]| Campaign finance reports as of October 27, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Max Engling (R) | $3,472,422.26 | $3,306,085.81 | $166,336.45 |
| Beau Bayh (D) | $7,653,563.34 | $7,497,086.18 | $156,477.16 |
| Greg Ballard (I) | $1,367,386.86 | $1,287,523.94 | $79,862.92 |
| Lauri Shillings (L) | $60,067.19 | $49,548.49 | $10,518.70 |
| Harrison Jacobo (S) | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Andrew Delano (NS) | $268.78 | $268.78 | $0 |
| Source: Indiana Secretary of State[44] | |||
Debates
[edit]| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Republican | Democratic | Lincoln Party | Libertarian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn |
||||||||
| Max Engling | Beau Bayh | Greg Ballard | Lauri Shillings | |||||
| 1 | Aug. 26, 2026 | Indy Chamber FOX 59 CBS 4 IBJ Media |
Dan Spehler & Leslie Weidenbener | Video | P | P | P | P |
| 2 | Oct. 7, 2026 | Indiana Debate Commission | Laura Merrifield Wilson | Video | P | P | P | P |
| 3 | Oct. 22, 2026 | FOX 59 CBS 4 |
Dan Spehler & Beairshelle Edmé | Video | P | P | N | N |
Polling
[edit]| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Max Engling (R) |
Beau Bayh (D) |
Greg Ballard (I) |
Lauri Shillings (L) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantus Insights (R)[45] | October 19–21, 2026 | 757 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 39% | 42% | 4% | 2% | 13% |
| Bellwether Research[46] | October 8–11, 2026 | 896 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 35% | 43% | 5% | 6% | 11% |
| The Tarrance Group (R)[47][A] | September 27–30, 2026 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.1% | 38% | 37% | 5% | 6% | 14% |
| Schoen Cooperman Research (D)[48][B] | September 1–3, 2026 | 605 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 36% | 42% | 5% | 5% | 12% |
Hypothetical polling
Diego Morales vs. Beau Bayh vs. Greg Ballard
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Diego Morales (R) |
Beau Bayh (D) |
Greg Ballard (I) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InAct LLC[49][C] | October 24 – November 1, 2025 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 29% | 32% | 24% | 16% |
Generic Republican vs. generic Democrat vs. generic Independent
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Generic Republican |
Generic Democrat |
Generic Independent |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InAct LLC[49][C] | October 24 – November 1, 2025 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 44% | 34% | 10% | 12% |
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Max Engling | ||||
| Democratic | Beau Bayh | ||||
| Libertarian | Lauri Shillings | ||||
| Lincoln | Greg Ballard | ||||
| Write-in | |||||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
Notes
[edit]Partisan clients
References
[edit]- ↑ Velez, Jessica. "Sec. of state hopeful Ballard explains new Lincoln Party to Tribune". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
- 1 2 Carloni, Brittany; Colombo, Hayleigh (May 1, 2025). "Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales announces reelection campaign". IndyStar. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- ↑ Beck, Caroline (June 20, 2026). "Republicans choose Max Engling in upset for secretary of state nomination". Indianapolis' Public Radio, TV & News Station | WFYI. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Dwyer, Kayla (May 20, 2026). "Secretary of State Diego Morales gets last-minute challenger". The Indianapolis Star.
- ↑ Verbanic, Ben (July 9, 2025). "Indiana GOP hopeful Jamie Reitenour targets young voter turnout". WLFI-TV.
- ↑ Prickett, Julia (May 7, 2025). "Knox County Clerk launches campaign for Indiana Secretary of State". WIBQ 97.3 FM. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- ↑ Howey, Brian (May 23, 2025). "OPINION | Howey: A Republican challenger for Diego Morales". Courier Press. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- 1 2 3 "Banks, Rokita pull endorsements for Diego Morales in Ind. Sec. of State race". Fox 59. May 21, 2026. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- 1 2 "Banks, Rokita withdraw support for Diego Morales in Secretary of State race". WRTV. May 21, 2026. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- ↑ Bushman, Heather; Dwyer, Kayla (May 22, 2026). "GOP state official calls for Diego Morales to resign immediately amid mounting criticism". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
- ↑ Lange, Kaitlyn (May 21, 2026). "Banks, Rokita pull endorsement of Diego Morales, call for him to suspend campaign". IndyStar. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Endorsement Archives". Republicans for National Renewal. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ↑ Hakim-Shabazz, Abdul (April 15, 2026). "Lawson backs Shelton in SOS race, unloads on Diego Morales". Indy Politics. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
- 1 2 Roberts, Brandon (June 16, 2026). "Indiana Republicans head to Fort Wayne with party unity on the line". State Affairs.
- ↑ "Political Race Search". campaignfinance.in.gov. Indiana Secretary of State. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
- ↑ Davies, Tom (June 20, 2026). "Engling captures Republican bid for Indiana secretary of state". Indiana Capital Chronicle. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- ↑ Kelly, Niki (October 6, 2025). "Democrat Beau Bayh to run for Indiana Secretary of State". Indiana Capital Chronicle. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
- ↑ Meador, Marissa. "Beau Bayh wins Democratic secretary of state nomination. How will he fare in November?". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Franklin County Democrats Announce Protest".
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Beau Bayh announces support from multiple Indiana labor unions". The Reporter. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Endorsed Candidates". VoteVets. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Bayh, Kebe earn Indiana Democratic Party's nominations for Secretary of State, treasurer". Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ "2026 Candidates for Common Good". Vote Common Good. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Political Race Search". campaignfinance.in.gov. Indiana Secretary of State. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
- ↑ Smith, Casey (June 6, 2026). "Beau Bayh defeats Blythe Potter for Democratic secretary of state nomination". WTHR. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ Bonilla Muñiz, Leslie (May 6, 2025). "Libertarian to explore challenge to Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales". Indiana Capital Chronicle.
- ↑ Hakim-Shabazz, Abdul (March 21, 2026). "Libertarian Party of Indiana Nominates 2026 Slate, Focuses on Ballot Access". Indy Politics.
- ↑ "Election officials confirm Ballard cleared ballot signature mark for Indiana secretary of state". Indiana Capital Chronicle. July 22, 2026. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
- ↑ Hakim-Shabazz, Abdul (March 16, 2026). "First Ballard, Now Brown: Talk of New Political Party Surfaces Again in Indianapolis". Indy Politics.
- ↑ "2026 Indiana General Election Candidate List". Indiana Citizen. Retrieved October 12, 2026.
- ↑ "2026 General Election Candidate List". IN.gov. Indiana Secretary of State. Retrieved October 12, 2026.
- ↑ "2026 Indiana General Election Candidate List - THE INDIANA CITIZEN". June 18, 2026. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
- ↑ Dwyer, Kayla. "For secretary of state, will independent Greg Ballard be a spoiler or a winner?". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
- ↑ Meador, Marissa. "Lauri Shillings can fix a car and build a porch. Can she keep Libertarians on the ballot?". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved September 29, 2026.
- ↑ Jacobson, Louis (October 29, 2026). "The Outlook for State Attorneys General and Secretaries of State". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
- 1 2 Colombo, Hayleigh (October 23, 2026). "Engling nabs endorsements from Trump, Vance after debate against Bayh". The Indianapolis Star.
- ↑ Byerly, Sydney (October 19, 2026). "Beckwith urges Hoosiers to 'think biblically' about voting as he releases list of endorsements". Indiana Citizen.
- ↑ Dwyer, Kayla (September 10, 2026). "Braun, Indiana GOP make $1M ad buy in secretary of state race amid national attention". The Indianapolis Star.
- ↑ Tufts, John (August 13, 2016). "Pete Buttigieg is getting involved in Indiana's Statehouse races. Here's why". The Indianapolis Star.
- ↑ Karlin, Ryan J. (October 7, 2026). "Here are the Republicans backing Democratic candidates in the midterms". The Hill. Retrieved October 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Indiana AFL-CIO Labor 2026 Endorsements". Indiana State AFL-CIO. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Indiana". United Mine Workers of America. Retrieved October 31, 2026.
- ↑ Kelly, Niki (October 5, 2026). "Former GOP lieutenant governor endorses Ballard in secretary of state race". Indiana Capital Chronicle.
- ↑ "Political Race Search". campaignfinance.in.gov. Indiana Secretary of State. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Indiana: Bayh Edges Engling, GOP Holds Comptroller, Treasurer". Quantus Insights. October 23, 2026. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- ↑ "Who's ahead in Indiana's secretary of state race? We asked voters". FPINews. October 16, 2026. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
- 1 2 "HLFA Poll Shows Secretary of State Race Tied". Indy Politics. October 2, 2026. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
- 1 2 "Polls circulate showing tight secretary of state race, plus Bo Duke actor weighs in". October 2, 2026. Retrieved October 2, 2026. >@AdamWren (October 2, 2026). "Beau Bayh's campaign responds to Max Engling's releasing his own internal top lines from last month in Indiana's Secretary of State race:" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
- 1 2 3 "Polling Topline and Crosstabs" (PDF). March 2, 2026. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
External links
[edit]Official campaign websites: