Indiana
Live Indiana Election Day updates: GOP governor’s race, Statehouse seats up for grabs
IndyStar reporters will spend Election Day talking to voters, candidates and poll workers. Follow along from the polls open to close and check back for race results this evening.
Where can I vote in the 2024 primary election?
Polls are open in Indiana from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In Marion and Johnson counties, you can vote at any polling location in the county, known as vote centers. A list of Marion County vote centers is available at vote.indy.gov/vote-centers. A list of Johnson County vote centers is available here.
In Hamilton County, voters have to cast ballots in their assigned precincts. To find your polling location, visit indianavoters.in.gov.
Live somewhere else? Check this list to see if your county uses vote centers. Or visit your county clerk’s website.
You must present a valid photo ID to vote in person. Visit the Secretary of State’s website for more information on acceptable forms of ID.
— Kayla Dwyer
Homework to prep for the polls: Everything you need to know about 2024 Indiana primary election
Republican gubernatorial primary is marquee race
This is a gubernatorial primary unlike any other: Six candidates, several of them very well funded, have been duking it out for the nomination, with one candidate starting his campaign exactly three years ago.
Polls have shown U.S. Sen. Mike Braun with a comfortable lead over Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, former commerce Secretary Brad Chambers, Fort Wayne entrepreneur Eric Doden, former Attorney General Curtis Hill and Indianapolis mother Jamie Reitenour. But they’ve also shown a sizeable contingent of voters undecided ― a large enough portion for the other candidates to hold out hope, especially because one candidate could win with about 20% of the vote.
More: Read our profiles of all the Republican gubernatorial candidates
There’s only one Democratic candidate for governor: former state schools superintendent Jennifer McCormick. Most observers consider this primary to be the main competition for governor. It would take a significant amount of resources and unique conditions for the Democratic candidate to defeat the Republican nominee in November, given the deep-red demographics in Indiana, and thus far, McCormick hasn’t shown signs of amassing such resources.
— Kayla Dwyer
Open Congressional seats draw major competition
Three Indiana representatives in the U.S. House are giving up their seats this election. One of them, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, is running for Senate. (That’s another race to watch, by the way ― Banks is unopposed for the Republican nomination, but there are two Democrats vying to run against him in the general election.)
Two congressional districts that are in central Indiana, the 5th and the 6th Congressional Districts, have a lot of competition and a striking amount of self-funding.
In the 5th district, which includes Hamilton County, many Republicans jumped into the primary because they thought incumbent Rep. Victoria Spartz was not going to run again, as she stated previously. But she changed her mind, and now that race appears to be a head-to-head between Spartz and state Rep. Chuck Goodrich. Goodrich has loaned $4.6 million to his campaign; Spartz, $700,000 as of May 3.
More: Here’s who is running against Spartz and Goodrich in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District
More: With Greg Pence out, 7 Republicans vie for Indy-based 6th Congressional District
In the 6th district, which includes Johnson and southern Marion counties, seven Republicans are vying to replace retiring Rep. Greg Pence. They include former Indianapolis mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve, state Rep. Mike Speedy and state Sen. Jeff Raatz, former lawmakers like John Jacob and Bill Frazier, and political newcomers Jamison Carrier and Darin Childress. Several of these candidates, particularly Shreve, also loaned hefty sums to their campaigns.
— Kayla Dwyer
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Indiana
Indiana police find semi trailer loaded up with nearly 400 pounds of cocaine: troopers
CLOVERDALE, Ind. (WKRC) – Authorities in Indiana found a semi trailer loaded up with hundreds of pounds of suspected cocaine.
According to a statement issued by the Indiana State Police (ISP), 27-year-old Harmandeep Singh of Bakersfield, California was taken into custody after nearly 400 pounds of suspected cocaine were reportedly found in the trailer of a commercial truck.
Per the statement, an ISP trooper seized the suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Putnam County, authorities said.
The stop occurred Tuesday morning near the 37-mile marker, just east of Cloverdale, after a commercial motor vehicle was observed exceeding the posted speed limit.
Police said Singh displayed several indicators of possible criminal activity during the encounter. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers discovered multiple duffel bags and cardboard boxes in the trailer containing approximately 392 pounds (178 kilograms) of suspected cocaine.
Authorities estimated the street value of the drugs at about $9 million.
Singh was taken into custody and taken to the Putnam County Jail, where he is being held on a $30,000 cash bond.
He faces the following preliminary charges, per the post:
- Possession of a narcotic drug
Formal charges will be determined by the Putnam County prosecutor.
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Indiana State Police said drug interdiction remains a priority, with troopers focusing on major highways to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into the state.
Indiana
Op-ed: Healthy rural communities strengthen all of Indiana
For many Hoosiers living in rural Indiana, accessing health care can mean driving 30 minutes or even an hour to see a doctor or reach the nearest hospital. As workforce shortages and financial pressures challenge rural hospitals across the country, ensuring access to care close to home has become one of the most important health-care issues facing our state.
About one in four Indiana residents live in a rural community, yet access to health-care services in many of these communities continues to shrink. Across the nation, rural hospitals and clinics report extremely thin operating margins and often say workforce shortages and rising costs make it difficult to sustain services such as primary care, maternity care and behavioral health.
When rural communities struggle to maintain health-care access, the impact doesn’t stay confined to small towns. It ripples across the entire health-care system, contributing to increases in chronic conditions, reduced preventative care for children, and worsening outcomes for the sickest patients.
Communities such as Greater Lafayette serve as a regional hub for care, with hospitals like IU Health Arnett caring for patients from surrounding counties across north-central and west-central Indiana. That role is something we are proud to fulfill. But when rural residents must travel long distances for care that should be available closer to home, it places increasing pressure on emergency departments, specialty clinics and inpatient services at larger regional hospitals.
In many cases, what might have been a routine appointment, preventive screening or early diagnosis in a local clinic becomes far more serious by the time a patient reaches a larger hospital. A missed screening can escalate into a medical emergency.
That reality makes strengthening rural health care more important than ever — not just for rural communities, but for the health of the entire state.
One of the most important steps we can take is investing in the next generation of health-care professionals who will care for these communities.
At IU Health, we are working directly with local schools and community partners to help build that workforce pipeline. Across the region, IU Health has partnered with the Greater Lafayette Career Academy and area school districts to introduce students to health-care careers earlier and provide hands-on learning opportunities that bring those careers to life.
Through these programs, students explore health-care pathways and earn certifications such as certified nursing assistant, medical assistant or emergency medical technician while still in high school. Many participate in job shadowing opportunities, clinical experiences and mentorship programs, giving them valuable exposure to the field before they graduate. In fact, since the first cohort in 2023, IU Health has extended job offers to more than 70 students.
The goal is simple but powerful: help students see that meaningful careers in health care exist in their own communities and create pathways that allow them to stay and serve those communities.
For rural health care, this approach is critical. Students who train and develop personal mentorship connections locally are far more likely to remain in the region after completing their education. By helping young people build skills and connections early, we can create a sustainable workforce that strengthens health-care access in both rural communities and regional centers, including Greater Lafayette.
Since launching the $200 million Community Impact Investment Fund in 2018, IU Health has invested more than $40 million in community grants supporting workforce development, education and school-based programs that build Indiana’s health-care talent pipeline. This includes funding for the Indiana Latino Institute, which placed Latino students in health-care internships, supported career pathways, and provided medical interpreter training and college coaching to communities across the state.
Our goal is to make Indiana one of the healthiest states in the nation, and this is one way we work toward that in partnership with our communities.
But workforce development is only part of the solution.
Strengthening rural health care will also require continued collaboration between health-care providers, educators, community leaders and policymakers. Expanding telehealth access, supporting rural hospitals and investing in primary care and behavioral health services are all critical steps toward ensuring patients can receive care close to home.
Greater Lafayette will always play an important role as a regional health-care center, providing specialized care and advanced services for patients across a broad region. But the long-term health of Indiana’s health-care system depends on maintaining strong local access points for care in rural communities.
When rural clinics and hospitals can provide preventive care, manage chronic conditions and connect patients with the services they need early, the entire system works better.
Patients receive care sooner, communities stay healthier and larger hospitals can focus on the complex cases they are designed to treat.
Healthy rural communities do not just benefit the towns where they are. They strengthen Indiana’s entire health-care system by ensuring that every Hoosier — no matter where they live — has access to the care and resources they need to live healthier lives.
When rural health care succeeds, all of Indiana benefits.
Gary Henriott is a lifelong resident of Lafayette and the retired CEO and Chairman of Henriott Group. He is the chair of the IU Health West Region board of directors and the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network, and president of Lafayette’s Board of Public Works and Safety.
Indiana
Indiana mother charged with neglect after baby’s co-sleeping death
INDIANAPOLIS (WKRC) — An Indianapolis mother is now facing criminal charges after her 2-month-old baby died in an apparent improper co-sleeping environment, according to investigators.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by FOX 59/CBS 4, police were called to an area hospital on Sept. 19, 2024, following the death of 27-year-old Brooklyn Davis’ son. The boy had been found unresponsive in his family’s home early that morning, and Davis attempted CPR before he was rushed to the hospital.
The affidavit says the boy had been sleeping on Davis’ bed with his 6-year-old brother. Davis later showed investigators a video showing the baby sleeping chest down on the 6-year-old’s chest.
An autopsy concluded the baby’s cause of death was “sudden explained death of an infant” with an intrinsic factor, which included being “placed to sleep in a queen-sized mattress being shared with a 6-year-old sibling, along with numerous blankets and other miscellaneous items; discovered unresponsive in a prone position with his face turned to the side and partially covered with a blanket.”
A report from the Department of Child Services (DCS) indicated the boy had no known health issues and that Davis ran an FSSA-licensed day care and has “extensive training on child care and safe sleeping environments.”
Davis had been known to DCS prior to the baby’s death. The boy had been born marijuana-positive and, on July 2, 2024, Davis had reportedly signed a “Safe Sleep Safety Plan,” acknowledging she understood that the safest places for her baby to sleep were in a crib, pack-and-play or bassinet and warned that co-sleeping places the baby at risk of suffocation and sleeping areas should be kept free of blankets, pillows and other items. The plan also included a provision that Davis not use marijuana while caring for her children, but she told investigators during an interview that, the morning of her baby’s death, she had gone downstairs to smoke marijuana and left the children alone upstairs.
Davis’ two other children were removed from the home, and interviews with them revealed that co-sleeping with the infant happened often.
Investigators say they attempted to contact Davis several times after talking to her children.
“She called me on February 18, 2025, and said she didn’t do anything wrong, her baby died of SIDS,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. “Brooklyn never came in for an additional interview.”
Court records indicate the case was filed in March 2026. Davis was booked into jail on April 1 on three counts of neglect of a dependent. An initial hearing was held on April 7, and a bail review hearing is planned for Monday.
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