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City tries to move needle on downtown recovery

The city is trying to move the needle on downtown's recovery with denser office use.

News

Indiana libraries have seen more than a dozen book challenges this year

John Green's "The Fault in Our Stars" isn't the only book challenged this year.

Swiftonomics is coming to Indianapolis

Swift's three concerts will combine for one of the biggest events in Indianapolis history.

Why fathers should take parental leave

Mothers are doubly burdened when fathers can't, or don't, take time off.

Business

What Hogsett's landslide wins say about Indianapolis

Is Indianapolis a Democratic city, or is Mayor Joe Hogsett just that good?

Mayor Joe Hogsett&#x27;s third consecutive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="landslide election" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/11/08/joe-hogsett-jefferson-shreve-mayor-election-results" data-vars-content-id="a3eaaa4e-2302-4c6e-8a46-e6087c542e67" data-vars-headline="What Hogsett&#x27;s landslide wins say about Indianapolis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/11/08/joe-hogsett-jefferson-shreve-mayor-election-results" target="_self">landslide election</a> is proof that Indianapolis is a Democratic stronghold.The intrigue: Or, is it?

Photo illustration of the Indianapolis city hall with lines radiation from it.

Newly elected Lawrence mayor part of historic trend

Democrat Deb Whitfield is Marion County's first Black mayor.

Marion County was one of several communities across the country that made history during Tuesday&#x27;s election.Driving the news: Democrat Deb Whitfield was elected mayor of Lawrence, making her Marion County&#x27;s first Black mayor.

Joe Hogsett beats Republicans' best shot

Hogsett ran for re-election on a redemption mission of sorts.

The most expensive mayoral election in Indianapolis history ended the same way as the last two: with Democrat <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Joe Hogsett" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/04/17/joe-hogsett-indy-mayor-candidate" data-vars-content-id="5ca8c4c5-aace-4f61-9df7-3243c03e8997" data-vars-headline="Joe Hogsett beats Republicans&#x27; best shot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/04/17/joe-hogsett-indy-mayor-candidate" target="_self">Joe Hogsett</a> victorious.State of play: Republican businessman <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jefferson Shreve" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/04/21/jefferson-shreve-indianapolis-mayor" data-vars-content-id="5ca8c4c5-aace-4f61-9df7-3243c03e8997" data-vars-headline="Joe Hogsett beats Republicans&#x27; best shot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/04/21/jefferson-shreve-indianapolis-mayor" target="_self">Jefferson Shreve</a> drew down more than $13.5 million from his personal fortune and hit Hogsett with a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nine-month barrage of campaign ads" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/08/07/indianapolis-mayors-race-jefferson-shreve-joe-hogsett" data-vars-content-id="5ca8c4c5-aace-4f61-9df7-3243c03e8997" data-vars-headline="Joe Hogsett beats Republicans&#x27; best shot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/08/07/indianapolis-mayors-race-jefferson-shreve-joe-hogsett" target="_self">nine-month barrage of campaign ads</a> slamming his record on public safety, only to get trounced.

A supper holds a "Mayor Joe Hogsett" sign up as Hogsett delivers a victory speech after winning re-election to a third term.

Democrats maintain Indy council supermajority

Democrats can pass almost anything they want.

A year after Democrats drew a City-County Council map <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="expecting to cede multiple seats" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/10/27/indianapolis-council-election" data-vars-content-id="5370a255-b6e6-4cab-a321-7bc937f49ac6" data-vars-headline="Democrats maintain Indy council supermajority" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/10/27/indianapolis-council-election" target="_self">expecting to cede multiple seats</a>, Republicans only flipped one district.Driving the news: Jared Evans and Nick Roberts won tough races in Republican-leaning districts Tuesday and Democrats held on to a 19-6 council supermajority.

Political yard signs in front of the City-County Building in Indianapolis.

Your guide to Election Day in Central Indiana

Voters will decide the Indy mayoral race, plus suburban mayoral races and school referendums.

It&#x27;s a potentially wild Election Day in Central Indiana.Why it matters: Elections for mayor and city council generate notoriously low turnout, which means relatively few voters wield disproportionate power to change the course of Indianapolis and its suburbs.

Illustration of a woman wearing an "I Voted" sticker.

How a Democratic mayor could change Carmel

Miles Nelson might turn Carmel blue, but he's not proposing major changes.

Miles Nelson might turn Carmel blue, but he&#x27;s not proposing major changes to the fast-growing suburb.Driving the news: Nelson, a Democrat, faces Republican Sue Finkam in Tuesday&#x27;s mayoral election. Both sit on the Carmel City Council.

Voters cast ballots at a Carmel Fire Department station.

Democratic-curious Zionsville returns to Republican

Zionsville will once again have a Republican mayor.

Zionsville will once again have a Republican mayor.Why it matters: Zionsville is the kind of Democratic-curious suburb — well-educated, affluent and historically Republican-leaning — where the party is gaining strength across the U.S. But now Democrats are handing back the top elected office without a fight.

Illustration of picket fence with I Voted stickers. 

Republicans look for Indy council gains

All 25 council seats are on the ballot Nov. 7.

Jared Evans is a unicorn — a Democrat who keeps winning in a Donald Trump-leaning district.Why it matters: Evans is running for a third City-County Council term on the west side and his seat is one of the most likely pickups for the GOP to slice into Democrats&#x27; dominance in Indianapolis and regain more influence over city government.

Political yard signs stacked up in front of the City-County Building entrance.

The Indy riots question Joe Hogsett can't put to rest

Mayor Joe Hogsett keeps explaining what he was doing when protests escalated to riots.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="For the second time this week" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/10/24/hogsett-shreve-mayoral-debate" data-vars-content-id="f3cd3ece-d989-475f-b9bf-2ea6e42fdbc0" data-vars-headline="The Indy riots question Joe Hogsett can&#x27;t put to rest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/10/24/hogsett-shreve-mayoral-debate" target="_self">For the second time this week</a>, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett explained what he was doing on the last weekend in May 2020.<ul><li>He sounded exasperated.</li></ul>

A worker cleans up glass at the Bank of Indianapolis after the riots on May 31, 2020.

Meet Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, Indy mayoral candidate

Shabazz, a Republican, is an attorney and political commentator.

Politics

As Indianapolis voters cast ballots in the mayoral primaries between now and May 2, Axios asked leading candidates about their views on crime, economic development and how they&#x27;d run the city.Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, a Republican, is an attorney, radio host for WIBC-FM, blogger and longtime contributor to Indianapolis newspapers and television shows.

Headshot of Indianapolis mayoral candidate Abdul-Hakim Shabazz.

Sue Finkam wins, deflating Democrats' Carmel hopes

The moderate Republican brand remains strong in Carmel.

The moderate Republican brand remains strong in Carmel.Driving the news: Republican Sue Finkam defeated Democrat Miles Nelson, 56.6% to 42.2%, on Tuesday, according to unofficial results.

Sue Finkam points her fingers upward among family and supporters during a victory speech after winning the Carmel mayoral election.

Indianapolis Public Schools teacher, ACLU sue over "Don't Say Gay"

The law bans discussion on human sexuality in grades K-3, but doesn't define it.

Indiana&#x27;s so-called &quot;Don&#x27;t Say Gay&quot; bill — which prohibits instruction on human sexuality in grades K-3 — is being challenged in court.Driving the news: The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a lawsuit Friday on behalf of Kayla Smiley, an Indianapolis Public Schools teacher, claiming that <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="House Enrolled Act 1608" data-vars-click-url="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1608#digest-heading" data-vars-content-id="ffffb6d4-0710-482b-95e3-04a94625df4c" data-vars-headline="Indianapolis Public Schools teacher, ACLU sue over &quot;Don&#x27;t Say Gay&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1608#digest-heading" target="_blank">House Enrolled Act 1608</a> infringes her constitutional rights.

Illustration of a word balloon in the colors of the Pride flag with a no symbol drawing over it.

Indiana abortions fell even before the ban went into effect

The ban, passed in August 2022, outlaws most abortions after eight weeks.

Health

Even before Indiana&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="near-total abortion ban" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/06/indiana-eric-holcomb-abortion-bill-vote" data-vars-content-id="366afc7c-142c-4f4c-b9b8-4e880ebf7e4f" data-vars-headline="Indiana abortions fell even before the ban went into effect" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/06/indiana-eric-holcomb-abortion-bill-vote" target="_self">near-total abortion ban</a> took effect last month, the state already saw its number of abortions drop in 2023 compared to 2020.Driving the news: In the first six months of 2023 Indiana saw about 3% fewer abortions than during the same period in 2020, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new data from the Guttmacher Institute" data-vars-click-url="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1694703798513004&amp;usg=AOvVaw1K9PKrqQp-Bfcfy5Jfglpw" data-vars-content-id="366afc7c-142c-4f4c-b9b8-4e880ebf7e4f" data-vars-headline="Indiana abortions fell even before the ban went into effect" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study&amp;sa=D&amp;source=editors&amp;ust=1694703798513004&amp;usg=AOvVaw1K9PKrqQp-Bfcfy5Jfglpw" target="_blank">new data from the Guttmacher Institute</a>, an abortion rights research and policy group.

State out to stop Indianapolis' "right-on-red" ban

Indianapolis wants to stop red-light turns to lower traffic deaths.

State lawmakers are scrapping an attempt by Indianapolis to ban drivers from turning right on red lights downtown.Driving the news: On Monday, lawmakers at the Indiana Statehouse said a last-minute addition to House Bill 1050 that prohibits the city from adopting a &quot;no-turn-on-red&quot; ordinance will stay in the final bill — even though it was added late in the legislative process and without input from the public.

Illustration of the Indiana state flag and the Indianapolis city flag with "vs" in between them.

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