The deadline to register to vote in the Indiana primary midterm elections is approaching on Monday, April 6, with elections happening a month later on Tuesday, May 5. This cycle, all nine U.S. House seats, all 100 Indiana House seats and half of the 50 Indiana Senate seats will be on ballots. There will also be local Marion County positions up for election.
College students in Indiana are eligible to vote in Indiana elections if they register using their school address. However, students can only register under one address, so they must choose either their home or school address.
Butler’s campus falls in Marion County, U.S. Congressional District seven, Indiana Senate District 33 and Indiana House of Representatives District 96. There will not be an election for Indiana Senate District 33. The following list outlines the candidates for Indiana’s U.S. Congressional District seven and Indiana’s House of Representatives District 96.
U.S. House
Democratic Rep. André Carson is the incumbent candidate for this position. His platform is centered around the work he has done and hopes to continue in office. As a congressman, he supports fighting discrimination, improving infrastructure and building national security.
Carson aims to fight discrimination by reforming the justice system with stronger accountability measures for police, expanding voting rights, ending health disparities by supporting minority healthcare access and research and promoting civil rights for all.
He wants to improve infrastructure by building traditional infrastructure, connecting cities with transportation networks, improving rail service and safety to make Amtrak more efficient and investing in charging stations and clean energy.
Carson hopes to build national security by fighting against foreign threats, specifically cyber threats, and confronting domestic threats like domestic terrorists and white supremacists.
Republican candidate Felipe Rios’ campaign is centered around a vision based on faith, integrity and service to the community. His priorities include the regularization of immigration, migration reduction, lifting the blockade against Cuba, implementing labor mobility programs, supporting farm workers, combatting drug addiction and gun regulation.
Rios supports a regularization program to grant legal status for immigrants with a clean criminal record who have lived in the United States for at least five years. He is also fighting for the United States to support funding for poor countries and suspend sanctions to reduce migration.
He proposed the development of online platforms that connect employers with employees to reduce unemployment. Rios also supports farmers getting a fair wage and regulation of working hours.
Rios wants to end drug addiction by implementing educational programs in schools.
Democratic candidate George Hornedo’s campaign is centered around supporting the “Fair Shot Agenda”, which has six pillars that address issues directly affecting Indianapolis.
The six pillars are “An Economy That Works”, “A Stronger Foundation”, “A Safer City”, “A Sustainable Future”, “A Democracy That Puts People First” and “Fair Shot in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”.
Hornedo aims to support the economy and build a stronger foundation by focusing on raising wages and lowering costs for families, including lower childcare costs. He also supports local businesses. A main priority is ensuring every job can support a life, including paid leave, stable housing and access to care. Hornedo also wants to ensure worker protections against artificial intelligence.
He wants to build a safer city by supporting investment in mental health crisis response, community violence prevention and re-entry programs. Additionally, Hornedo supports policing and justice reforms.
He aims to uphold democracy by fighting to protect voting rights, end gerrymandering, ban dark money and hold those in office accountable.
Hornedo hopes to create a sustainable future by supporting the creation of good-paying clean energy jobs, lowering energy bills, modernizing public transit and protecting the air, water and neighborhoods from climate change.
Republican candidate Patrick McAuley’s campaign focuses on what voters have spoken up about. He is also promoting his background in grassroots politics in Indiana.
He took a poll with over 350 responses from voters in the 7th District on what issues are most important to them. The top issues were affordability, public safety, housing stability, career opportunities and the future well-being of communities.
McAuley believes that for the Republican-led government in both Indiana and Washington, D.C. to make progress, they need more financial resources. He plans to fight for funding for the Republican initiatives concerning infrastructure, public safety, housing and creating jobs.
Democratic candidate Destiny Wells’ campaign is centered around ensuring the government is working for the people, not corporations that can afford lobbyists. She supports affordable healthcare, working families, fair pay, strong schools, affordable homes, clean water and veterans.
Wells hopes to support working families by fighting for affordable childcare, paid leave, a strong school system with well-funded educators and special education programs.
She wants to build stronger communities by supporting increased housing supply, consistent energy bills and support for first responders. She plans to support community members by fighting for raising the minimum wage and universal healthcare.
Wells also aims to fight for the environment by supporting holding polluters accountable and banning insider stock trading in Congress to restore trust in the government.
She wants to support veterans and reliable defense by fighting for the modernization of the Veterans’ Affairs, assurance that the military is prepared and assurance that the defense budget is being spent responsibly.
Democratic candidate Denise Paul Hatch is the former Center Township constable. She was removed from her position in October 2024 due to several months of court cases involving six felony charges. Her charges included a Level 6 felony official misconduct and Class A misdemeanor theft in one cause, and a Level 6 felony official misconduct, Class A misdemeanor attempted assisting a criminal and Class A misdemeanor attempted resisting law enforcement in a separate cause. She maintains her innocence and filed an appeal that is currently moving through the courts.
Hatch claims that her past, which she discloses on her campaign website, has deepened her commitment to justice. Her campaign priorities include fighting for lower utility bills, healthcare for all pregnant women, affordable housing, humane immigration reform, public safety and marijuana justice.
She wants to make housing affordable by supporting utility companies being held accountable for rate increases, rent control and stronger tenant protections.
Hatch also aims to end abusive practices performed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, legalize marijuana and expunge past marijuana convictions.
Indiana House
Democrat State Rep. Gregory W. Porter has been serving as the state representative for Indiana House of Representatives District 96 for 17 terms. He is running unopposed in the current primary election.
During his time as a state representative, he has been an advocate for affordability, public schools, affordable health care and public safety.
Porter has authored legislation involving bullying prevention in K-12 education, property tax relief for seniors, lower prescription costs and support for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.