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1-minute voter guide: Indiana's constitutional amendments

Hoosiers will vote to change the state constitution on bail and judges.

Animated illustration of a checkmark rotating to reveal a question mark.

There are two public questions on Indiana ballots this year.Why it matters: Passage would change the state&#x27;s constitution, allowing more people to be denied bail while awaiting trial and loosening residency requirements for local judges.

News

Politics

The race for Indiana's next secretary of state remains a real toss-up.

Why it matters: A new poll from Free Press Indiana gives a slim advantage to Democrat Beau Bayh, making the top of Indiana's ticket one of the most interesting races to watch.

Driving the news: Bayh leads Republican Max Engling by 8 points in the open race, with 11 percent of likely voters still undecided, according to a poll released today.

Context: The race is more unpredictable than usual for Indiana's statewide offices — a Democrat hasn't won since 2012 — due to a crowded field of relatively unknown candidates.

Republicans turned away from embattled incumbent Diego Morales at the state's GOP nominating convention.

Engling has worked as a congressional staffer but isn't well known by the general public. Nearly half of those surveyed in the FPI poll had never heard of him.

Bayh's last name is giving him an advantage. Just 27% of surveyed voters said they've never heard of the third generation of a powerful Hoosier political family.

Libertarian Lauri Shillings and independent Greg Ballard, a former Republican mayor of Indianapolis running on the Lincoln Party line, are polling in the single digits but still have the ability to sway the outcome.

By the numbers: Bayh and Engling are essentially tied in their unfavorability ratings — 18% and 17%, respectively. However, Bayh's name recognition pays off in favorability, 35% to just 12% for Engling.

The fine print: Bellwether Research surveyed more than 800 likely voters in Indiana for Free Press Indiana from Oct. 8–11.

The sample was drawn from the state voter file and included registrants who voted in at least one general election from 2018 to 2024 or who registered since 2024.

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

The intrigue: Democrat Jessica Bailey is neck-and-neck in the race for state comptroller with GOP incumbent Elise Nieshalla in FPI's poll.

Incumbent Republican Daniel Elliott holds a 5-point advantage over Democrat Coumba Kebe for state treasurer.

The bottom line: Midterm woes, a president whose favorability rating is underwater and an enthusiasm gap benefiting Democrats could upset Indiana's deep red apple cart.

one of the most interesting races to watch

Poll: Bayh leads close secretary of state race

It's one of the election cycle's most unpredictable races.

Illustration of two checkboxes over a divided blue and red background, with a checkmark moving back and forth between them.

The race for Indiana&#x27;s next <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="secretary of state" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2026/10/06/1-minute-voter-guide-indiana-secretary-of-state" data-vars-content-id="7036a700-5599-4776-8f79-68fcdb660f4e" data-vars-headline="Poll: Bayh leads close secretary of state race" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2026/10/06/1-minute-voter-guide-indiana-secretary-of-state" target="_self">secretary of state</a> remains a real toss-up.Why it matters: A new poll from Free Press Indiana gives a slim advantage to Democrat Beau Bayh, making the top of Indiana&#x27;s ticket <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="one of the most interesting races to watch" data-vars-click-url="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/sec-state-sept26-upadate/" data-vars-content-id="7036a700-5599-4776-8f79-68fcdb660f4e" data-vars-headline="Poll: Bayh leads close secretary of state race" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/sec-state-sept26-upadate/" target="_blank">one of the most interesting races to watch</a>.

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is installing new wayfinding signs and wants your input.

Why it matters: The pilot aims to make the trail's connections to the city's cultural institutions easier to find and understand.

The big picture: The trail is piloting the new signs along the Washington Street corridor downtown to inform a project that will roll out along the entire 10-mile system in the coming years.

Follow the money: Input from users, being taken now through Dec. 15, will be used in the final design of a trail-wide wayfinding program funded by a $2 million READI 2.0 Arts & Culture grant.

What they're saying: Originally, the wayfinding guide was the trail itself, with its distinctive brick, Kären Haley, executive director of Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc., tells Axios. 

"Its repeating patterns are visual cues for everyone to know, 'I just keep following this… It's kind of like following the yellow brick road … It'll take me to cool places.'"

Nearly 20 years on, Haley says the city has grown up alongside the trail, but nothing along it tells users what's around the next bend or how far they can take it.

Zoom in: The new signage includes maps of the Cultural Trail, guides to what's nearby and tips on using the amenity.

The side facing walkers has more text-heavy signage compared to the side facing cyclists and faster-moving trail users.

The signs are bright, eye-catching and placed at various heights — on the trail itself and on adjacent light poles.

What's next: In addition to an online survey, Haley says they're adding QR codes and conducting on-site interviews with trail users.

Based on that feedback, they'll design the final signage and install it by the end of 2028.

Indianapolis Cultural Trail pilots new wayfinding signs

The trail is seeking feedback ahead of a system-wide roll out.

Urban street scene with sign posts: blue Cultural Trail panels and map on the left; green "You're on the Trail" sign and a Hilbert Circle Theatre poster on the right near Chick-fil-A.

Signs are up along Washington Street now. Photos: Courtesy of Hadley Fruits Photography

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is installing new wayfinding signs and wants your input.Why it matters: The pilot aims to make the trail&#x27;s connections to the city&#x27;s cultural institutions easier to find and understand.

Things to Do

For many Indiana children, the school day starts on a diesel-powered bus and its driver. Now, school districts are struggling to afford both.

Why it matters: The Iran war is sending diesel costs higher just as districts are grappling with a yearslong bus driver shortage — a double whammy that can ripple into missed breakfasts, late classes and fewer school activities.

The big picture: Districts nationwide are consolidating routes, cutting trips and squeezing more efficiency out of their fleets.

A May survey of 188 school officials nationwide found 40% had adjusted routes, 25% cut routes, 20% limited optional trips and 8% made students walk farther to stops.

What they're saying: "We're a non-instructional expense for a district," Peter Mannella of the National Association for Pupil Transportation tells Axios.

"The inclination is always going to be, 'Let's see what we can cut out of transportation costs because we don't want to affect the school library,'" he says.

State of play: While Indiana has some of the cheapest gas in the country, thanks to an ongoing gas tax holiday, the suspension doesn't apply to diesel.

Diesel prices in Indiana average $6.57/gallon — about $3/gallon more than this time last year.

Zoom in: It's squeezing districts around the state, including Greenwood Community School Corp., where superintendent Terry Terhune said the district has already postponed summer maintenance projects to offset the higher fuel bills.

Indianapolis Public Schools has reworked bus routes to reduce fuel consumption.

Kankakee Valley Schools has consolidated two routes after several bus driver resignations. District officials said last month that if diesel prices stay high, "that will have a huge impact."

superintendent Terry Terhune said the district

Iran war diesel spikes stretch IPS budgets

Diesel prices have nearly doubled over the last year.

Illustration of a school bus with a money band-aid on it. 

For many Indiana children, the school day starts on a diesel-powered bus and its driver. Now, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="school districts are struggling" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/10/05/iran-war-diesel-fuel-costs-school-bus" data-vars-content-id="f1b457dc-f474-4386-9446-d1c8212bc576" data-vars-headline="Iran war diesel spikes stretch IPS budgets" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/10/05/iran-war-diesel-fuel-costs-school-bus" target="_self">school districts are struggling</a> to afford both.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iran war" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/10/02/iran-trump-negotiations-war-reasons-fail" data-vars-content-id="f1b457dc-f474-4386-9446-d1c8212bc576" data-vars-headline="Iran war diesel spikes stretch IPS budgets" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/10/02/iran-trump-negotiations-war-reasons-fail" target="_self">Iran war</a> is sending <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="diesel costs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/09/22/trump-diesel-exports-ban" data-vars-content-id="f1b457dc-f474-4386-9446-d1c8212bc576" data-vars-headline="Iran war diesel spikes stretch IPS budgets" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/09/22/trump-diesel-exports-ban" target="_self">diesel costs</a> higher just as districts are grappling with a yearslong bus driver shortage — a double whammy that can ripple into missed breakfasts, late classes and fewer school activities.

Education

Many central Indiana voters will have school referendums on their ballots.

Why it matters: Much is at stake — from teaching positions to bus service — according to the districts asking for the property tax increases.

The big picture: More than three dozen school districts around the state are running referendums this year — a record number for a single election cycle.

Districts are trying to offset funding losses caused by state policy changes, particularly the property tax law known as Senate Enrolled Act 1.

The law cuts the amount of revenue schools and other local governments receive from property taxes.

It also requires districts to share those dollars with charter schools over the next several years as the full effect of the law phases in.

Yes, but: The next election cycle may see more, says Terry Spradlin, executive director of the Indiana School Boards Association.

"It's actually surprisingly low," Spradlin tells Axios.

One-third of the districts are seeking a referendum for the first time. The rest, Spradlin said, are seeking a renewal. Changes to when districts can place a referendum on the ballot mean some needed to seek a renewal earlier than they otherwise would have.

What they're saying: "We need to make the case, to make a compelling case and educate voters," Spradlin said.

Zoom in: Between Marion County and the doughnut counties, 16 districts are running referendums.

Hamilton County: Carmel-Clay, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville, Sheridan and Westfield.

Johnson County: Clark-Pleasant and Franklin Community.

Marion County: Beech Grove, the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation and Decatur, Washington and Wayne townships.

The intrigue: The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation is seeking a $95 million referendum to be split between Indianapolis Public Schools and surrounding charter schools. 

If passed, IPS would receive about half of the proceeds  — a little more than $46 million annually. It would still have a $20 million budget hole to close.

a record number for a single election cycle

1-minute voter guide: Central Indiana school referendums

More than a dozen local districts have referendums on the ballot.

Numerous colorful political campaign signs line a stair-step concrete display beneath a leafy tree with red berries, creating a busy election-themed scene.

Many central Indiana voters will have school referendums on their ballots.Why it matters: Much is at stake — from teaching positions to bus service — according to the districts asking for the property tax increases.

Arika Herron

Featured stories

Iran war diesel spikes stretch IPS budgets

Indianapolis Cultural Trail pilots new wayfinding signs

1-minute voter guide: Central Indiana school referendums

Poll: Bayh leads close secretary of state race

1-minute voter guide: Indiana's constitutional amendments