2023 Carmel mayoral election

2023 Carmel mayoral election

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Candidate Sue Finkam Miles Nelson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 18,042 13,463 Percentage 56.6% 42.2%

Precinct results Finkam:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Nelson:     40–50%     50–60%

Mayor before election James Brainard Republican Elected Mayor Sue Finkam Republican

The 2023 Carmel mayoral election took place on November 7, 2023. Republican nominee Sue Finkam defeated Democrat Miles Nelson by a 14.4% margin to become the next mayor.

Incumbent Republican Mayor James Brainard, first elected in 1995, chose to retire, creating an open race for the position for the first time in 28 years. ^[1] In the party primaries held on May 2, 2023, Republican City Councilor Sue Finkam bested two other GOP candidates to advance to the November 7 general election, while Democrat Miles Nelson ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and advanced automatically. ^[2]

Finkam's general election campaign priorities included boosting fiscal responsibility by adopting zero-based budgeting in the first year, crime prevention and public safety, expanding community involvement in development projects (specifically multifamily housing projects), and increasing government transparency, as outlined in the vision plan published and promoted by her campaign. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]} Nelson's campaign primarily focused on his opposition to the conservative parent advocacy group Moms for Liberty, and concerns he had about their possible influence on Carmel Clay Schools policy which is set by the school board. ^{[9] [10] [11] [12]} Notably, there is no conservative majority on the current school board following the 2022 school board elections. ^{[13] [14] [15]}

Background

Politically, Carmel has historically been a Republican stronghold, having consistently voted for Republicans in local, state, and federal elections for decades. Since 2020, however, Carmel has become increasingly competitive for both parties. ^[16] In 2020, the city voted for Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden, and in 2022, the Democrats won Carmel in the 2022 Indiana Secretary of State election, along with 2 of the 3 school board seats where the more conservative candidates lost, ^{[17] [18]} while Republican candidates prevailed in Carmel in the 2020 Indiana gubernatorial election, as well as the 2020 and 2022 Indiana's 5th congressional district House of Representatives elections. ^[19] Councilor Miles Nelson's 2019 win in the city's West district marked the first time a Democrat had ever won a seat on the Carmel city council. ^[18]

Mayor James Brainard was first elected to be Mayor of Carmel, Indiana in 1995 and took office in 1996. ^[20] During his seven-term mayoralty, he championed redevelopment projects, including a well-known push for roundabouts, and the city's population more than doubled. ^[21] As a result of his broad popularity, Brainard was not seriously challenged in any of his reelection bids through 2019. In 2019, Hamilton County Councilor Fred Glynn challenged Brainard in the Republican primary, receiving 44.2% of the vote. ^[22] Glynn's 2019 campaign repeatedly criticized Brainard for his extensive public spending projects, overdevelopment and spending plans. ^[22] Brainard announced his intention to retire in September 2022 after serving for seven terms. ^[1]

Republican primary

At-large Councilor and small business owner Kevin Rider announced his decision to run for the GOP nomination a week after Brainard's decision to retire, admitting that he had been having conversations about running earlier in the year as well. ^[23] Councilor and businesswoman Sue Finkam, who represents Carmel's Northeast District, announced her intention to seek the GOP nomination a month later in November 2022. ^[24] Fred Glynn, former Hamilton County Councilor who had previously challenged Mayor James Brainard in 2019, filed his paperwork to run less than two hours before the filing deadline closed. ^[25]

Mayor James Brainard endorsed Councilor Kevin Rider on April 7 after initially refraining from endorsing anyone, stating that the primary results could "reverse the progress" Carmel had made during his tenure. His concerns appeared to be aimed at Fred Glynn's campaign priorities. ^{[26] [27]}

Candidates

Declared

• Sue Finkam, city councilor ^[28]
• Fred Glynn, former Hamilton County councilor ^[29]
• Kevin Rider, city councilor ^[30]

Declined

• James Brainard, incumbent mayor ^[31]

Endorsements

Sue Finkam

Statewide officials

• Kelly Mitchell, 54th Indiana State Treasurer (2014–2022) ^[32]

Local officials

• Dottie Hancock, former Mayor of Carmel (1988–1992) ^[33]

Organizations

• Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 185 ^[33]

Kevin Rider

Local officials

• James Brainard, Mayor of Carmel (1996–present) ^[34]
• Jane Reiman, former Mayor of Carmel (1980–1988) ^[33]
• Jeff Worrell, city council president ^[35]

Organizations

• International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4444 ^[33]

Debate

The GOP debate held some disagreements. ^[36] Councilors Sue Finkam and Kevin Rider both tried to position themselves in alignment with Mayor Brainard, while noting they would temper some of his spending priorities. ^[37] Councilor Sue Finkam accused Rider of threats towards her donors. ^[36] At the debate, Finkam said, "Many, many professionals call us and say they get calls directly from Councilman Rider saying they will not do business with the city of Carmel if they donate to our campaign, period." ^[36] Fred Glynn announced he would take no money from vendors who do business with Carmel, while Rider pointed to his positive campaign and also noted he had taken campaign contributions from people who do business with the city. ^{[36] [37]} Candidates agreed on the need for more communication from the City Hall, and all three candidates criticized some of the priorities decided on by the Carmel Redevelopment Commission, a non-elected board and a longstanding priority of Mayor Brainard's. ^[36] The candidates also criticized the study for public transit in Carmel, agreeing that public transportation wasn't a priority. ^[36]

Date	Time (ET)	Place	Moderators	Ref
March 28, 2023	6:30 pm	The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel, Indiana	Ann Marie Shambaugh	[38]

Results

Republican primary ^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Sue Finkam	4,692	35.8
	Republican	Fred Glynn	4,236	32.3
	Republican	Kevin Rider	4,190	31.9
Total votes			23,228	100.0

Democratic primary

City Councilor Miles Nelson filed to run in January 2023, making him the only Democrat in the race. ^[40] Nelson is the brother of Carmel Clay Schools Board Member and Board Secretary Jennifer Nelson-Williams. ^[41]

Candidates

Declared

• Miles Nelson, city councilor ^[42]

Write-ins

Candidates

Declared

• Darin Johnson ^[43]

General election

Debate

Date	Time (ET)	Place	Moderators	Ref
October 2, 2023	7:00 pm	The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel, Indiana	Ann Marie Shambaugh	[44]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [lower-alpha 1]	Margin of error	Sue Finkam	Miles Nelson	Undecided
Sue Finkam for Carmel Mayor [upper-alpha 1]	June 26–27, 2023	400 (RV)	± 4.8%	48%	35%	16%

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of October 20, 2023 [45]
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
Sue Finkam (R)	$820,965	$540,197	$280,768
Miles Nelson (D)	$460,084	$342,403	$117,681

Endorsements

Sue Finkam

Statewide officials

• Eric Holcomb, Governor of Indiana (2017–present) ^[46]
• Kelly Mitchell, 54th Indiana State Treasurer (2014–2022) ^[47]

Local officials

• James Brainard, Mayor of Carmel (1996–present) ^[48]
• Dottie Hancock, former Mayor of Carmel (1988–1992) ^[33]

Organizations

• Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 185 ^[33]
• International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4444 ^[49]

Miles Nelson

U.S Senators

• Evan Bayh, U.S. Senator from Indiana (1999–2011), 46th Governor of Indiana (1989–1997) ^[50]

State legislators

• J. D. Ford, state senator from the 29th district (2018–present) ^[50]
• Victoria Garcia Wilburn, state representative for the 32nd district (2022–present) ^[50]
• Fady Qaddoura, state senator from the 29th district (2020–present) ^[50]

Organizations

• AFL-CIO ^[50]
• Moms Demand Action ^[50]

Results

2023 Carmel mayoral election ^[51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Sue Finkam	18,042	56.6%
	Democratic	Miles Nelson	13,463	42.2%
	Write-in		371	1.2%
Total votes			31,876	100.0

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by Finkam's campaign.

References

1. "Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard will not seek reelection, ending seven terms as mayor in 2023". The Indianapolis Star . September 13, 2022.
2. "Finkam wins tight Republican primary in Carmel mayoral race • Current Publishing". May 2, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
3. Reporter, The (October 21, 2023). "Sue Finkam releases her plan to "Elevate Carmel"" . Retrieved October 21, 2023.
4. "Carmel mayoral candidates discuss priorities, vision for city's future". Fox 59. October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
5. "Elevate Carmel | Sue Finkam for Carmel Mayor". www.suefinkam.com. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
6. Reporter, The (October 21, 2023). "Finkam calls for overhaul of Marion County's "failed" criminal justice system" . Retrieved October 21, 2023.
7. Lucas, Lena (April 3, 2023). "Sue Finkam for Carmel Mayor: A Bright Future for All". Carmel Monthly Magazine - Carmel, Indiana. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
8. Reporter, The (October 21, 2023). "Sue Finkam pledges more transparency in Carmel government" . Retrieved October 21, 2023.
9. "The Indianapolis Star". www.indystar.com. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
10. "Miles Nelson Calls for Sue Finkam to Immediately Denounce Moms for Liberty". Miles for Mayor. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
11. "Carmel mayoral candidates square off in debate • Current Publishing". October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
12. "About the Board - Carmel Clay Schools". www.ccs.k12.in.us. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
13. "Republicans point to split conservative vote in failing to sweep Carmel school board seats • Current Publishing". November 9, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
14. Gaines, Lee V. (January 18, 2023). "Conservative school board candidates feared indoctrination. What's next for Indiana?". WFYI Public Media. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
15. "Standing up to extremism in Carmel Indiana". DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
16. Wren, Adam; Stokols, Eli; Egan, Lauren; Ukenye, Lawrence (August 21, 2023). "Ron Klain's next campaign". POLITICO. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
17. Shambaugh, Ann Marie (November 9, 2020). "Biden earned more than half of presidential votes in Carmel" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
18. Carloni, Brittany (November 18, 2022). "Democrats keep winning Carmel vote. Here's what it means for 2023 city races" . Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
19. Division, Election (January 14, 2021). "Election Results". Election Division. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
20. Carloni, Brittany (September 13, 2022). "Five things Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard will be known for long after he leaves office". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
21. Russell, Kyla (September 13, 2022). "Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard will not seek reelection". WISH-TV. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
22. Contreras, Natalia E. "Mayor Jim Brainard wins GOP primary in closest race in decades". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
23. Carloni, Brittany (September 20, 2022). "Councilman Kevin Rider announces run for Carmel mayor after Brainard says he won't run again". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
24. Carloni, Brittany (November 15, 2022). "Carmel Councilor Sue Finkam enters 2023 race for mayor". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
25. Shambaugh, Ann Marie (February 8, 2023). "Glynn embracing 'people-oriented vision' in campaign for Carmel mayor • Current Publishing" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
26. Carloni, Brittany (April 7, 2023). "Here's who Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard is endorsing in the Republican mayoral primary". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
27. "Finkam wins Carmel Republican primary". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
28. "Carmel Councilor Sue Finkam enters 2023 race for mayor". The Indianapolis Star . November 15, 2022.
29. Bradley, Daniel (February 6, 2023). "Republican Fred Glynn joins race for Carmel mayor". Indianapolis Business Journal .
30. "Councilman Kevin Rider announces run for Carmel mayor after Brainard says he won't run again". The Indianapolis Star . September 20, 2022.
31. "Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard will not seek re-election". FOX59 . September 13, 2022.
32. "Former State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell endorses Sue Finkam for Carmel mayor". Hamilton County Reporter. January 28, 2023.
33. "Carmel mayor endorses Rider as his successor" . Retrieved April 8, 2023.
34. "Here's who Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard is endorsing in the Republican mayoral primary". The Indianapolis Star . April 7, 2023.
35. "Carmel mayoral candidate Kevin "Woody" Rider receives endorsement from City Council President Jeff Worrell". Hamilton County Reporter. April 6, 2023.
36. "4 takeaways from Carmel Republican mayoral debate". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
37. Shuey, Mickey. "Carmel mayoral candidates debate spending, housing affordability". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
38. "Carmel Republican Mayoral Debate presented by Current in Carmel". March 17, 2023 – via www.vimeo.com.
39. Mutascio, Joe (May 2, 2023). "Indiana Election Day 2023: Latest results from counties around the state". The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved May 3, 2023.
40. "Miles Nelson files as third candidate for Mayor of Carmel". Hamilton County Reporter. January 27, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
41. "Meet the 4 finalists for the open seat on the Carmel school board • Current Publishing". September 24, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
42. "Carmel City Council's lone Democrat to run for mayor in 2023". December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
43. Shambaugh, Ann Marie (July 6, 2023). "Independent write-in candidate joins Carmel mayoral race". Current Publishing.
44. Kheiry, Leila (October 2, 2023). "Carmel mayoral candidates square off in debate". Current Publishing.
45. "Campaign Finance Index". secure2.hamiltoncounty.in.gov. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
46. "Governor Eric Holcomb endorses Sue Finkam for Carmel Mayor". Hamilton County Reporter. October 27, 2023.
47. "Former State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell endorses Sue Finkam for Carmel mayor". Hamilton County Reporter. January 28, 2023.
48. Tuohy, John (October 31, 2023). "After primary snub, Carmel Mayor Brainard endorses Sue Finkam in general election". The Indianapolis Star .
49. "CARMEL PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 4444 ENDORSES SUE FINKAM FOR MAYOR OF CARMEL" (PDF). September 11, 2023.
50. "Longtime Carmel mayor endorses Finkam as successor". Current Publishing. October 31, 2023.
51. "2023 Hamilton County Election results". The Indianapolis Star . November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.

External links

Official campaign websites

• Sue Finkham (R) for Mayor
• Miles Nelson (D) for Mayor