Dave Hofmann News Today

Lawrence Mayor-Elect Deb Whitfield is Marion County's first Black and first woman mayor, but she didn't think of the title when she decided to run.

Overall, the results seemed to reinforce the Republican reign over Indiana's vast suburban and rural swaths, raising more questions than answers about whether Democrats can put a dent in the GOP's long-held dominance over statewide elections in 2024.

Whitfield had about 52% of the vote with 78% of Marion County's vote centers reporting. She will succeed Republican Mayor Steve Collier, who opted not to run for a third term. 

Deb Whitfield election

By midmorning, the stream of voters going into the polling site at Lawrence Firehouse 37 on North German Church Road was steady, with one or two voters coming as one

Early voting is underway for Indiana's Nov. 7 municipal elections. Here's a roundup of IBJ's campaign coverage for Indianapolis and the northern suburbs to help you get ready to cast your vote.

News 8 government reporter Garrett Bergquist sits down with two candidates for mayor of Lawrence to discuss their goals.

Both candidates for mayor of Lawrence said safety and growth are priorities, but differed on how to achieve those goals.

The lawsuit largely dealt with the annual budgeting process that took place in 2021. The council appropriated $335,000 to pay legal fees.

The Lawrence Common Council approved a budget in September 2021, but the mayor’s administration did not submit it to the state by the deadline. That meant the city in 2022 had to operate under the previous year’s budget.