Dear Hamilton County Democrats,
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as County Party Chair for the past year. It has been a joy to work alongside you to strengthen Hamilton County Democrats and make a difference in our communities. Hamilton County used to be considered a GOP stronghold just a few years ago with unchecked leaders and uncontested races. Today, we are undeniably a bipartisan county with thousands of proud Hamilton County Democrats dedicated to community service, political balance and good government.
Although we didn’t achieve all the election victories that we were hoping for, there are many wins that give us hope and set our county apart. These facts are a testament to our strong candidates, your efforts and our bright future together.
MSNBC highlighted Hamilton County as one of the top ten counties in the nation that has shifted most to Democrats, +28 since 2012! The New York Times showed that Hamilton County was one of only 319 counties in the country (11%) that did not increase Trump support in 2024. Considering the national Trump wave that swept 2024 elections, this is a remarkable accomplishment. Notably, the Democratic Presidential candidate won both Carmel and Fishers for the very first time!
Reversing a national trend and consistently moving toward Democrats for the past 12 years in our red state of Indiana is remarkable. This momentum doesn’t just “happen” and is not simply a result of our growing population. No, this consistent shift to Democrats has required strong candidates bravely running to win and hours of unrelenting hard work from us all.
When Hamilton County citizens voted in 2024 they saw one of the most competitive ballots in the entire state. A big thank you of appreciation goes to all our Hamilton County candidates and their teams: Deborah Pickett, Joel Levi, Matt McNally, Josh Lowry, Chris Hartig, Stephanie Jo Yocum, Keely Gladieaux and Tom Wilson.
The Democratic incumbent on the ballot was Victoria Garcia Wilburn and she won her re-election decisively! Indiana was one of only four states in the nation that re-elected all their Democratic office holders. Representative Garcia Wilburn won the cities of Carmel and Fishers for the first time, and we are proud of how she represents Hamilton County as a Democrat in the statehouse.
Overall, Democratic candidates did very well in Hamilton County despite statewide GOP control. For the first time in 20 years, Indiana’s gubernatorial candidate won Hamilton County cities. Jennifer McCormick made Hamilton County one of the top priorities in her campaign, even generously sharing her HQ office space with us! When strong Democratic candidates run in Hamilton County, they give Democrats a reason to vote and continue the momentum we are steadily building.
Democrat candidates cannot hope to win Republican-held seats without the assurance that Democrats citizens will come out to vote. That’s why the Hamilton County Democratic Party unleashed the largest countywide Get Out The Vote campaign ever in 2024. This campaign was activated by over 235 Democratic super volunteers across the county. Over 44,000 Hamilton County Democratic voters were reached during our fall GOTV campaign. Over 32,600 doorhangers that featured Democratic candidates and voting information were distributed in Hamilton County. Thanks to Meredith Fox and the Communications Team for their outreach efforts and for creating a doorhanger that motivated voters and enhanced our Democratic Party’s brand.
For the second year in a row, Hamilton County Democrats canvassed the most doors in the state. That distinction is impressive but the most important outcome from our GOTV campaign is how it directly impacted voter turnout. In 2024, voter turnout in Hamilton County was 71%. That’s one of the highest voter turnouts for the 2024 general election in the entire state! Additionally, Democratic straight ticket voters in Hamilton County reached an all time high, while GOP straight ticket voters in Hamilton County declined.
Overall, the 2024 Get Out The Vote campaign was very successful and data was collected to strengthen it even more for 2026. Thank you to all the hundreds of volunteers who participated by knocking on doors, writing postcards, talking to neighbors, placing signs, texting, organizing and much more. You made a difference by educating voters, supporting our candidates and demonstrating how proud you are to be a Hamilton County Democrat.
A tremendous thank you goes out to the generous donors who contributed to candidates and to our organization. The Hamilton County Democratic Party raised over $62,000 in 2024 and banked $25,000, the highest amount of year-end cash on hand ever. This reserve helps fund 2026 efforts and hopefully a high-visibility HQ office space to support all of our candidates.
As we kick-off 2025, we welcome new Hamilton County Democratic Party members and over 35 new precinct chairs and vice-chairs! Our family of Democrats across the county continues to grow and all are welcome to participate and collaborate.
We also welcome our new county party officers in 2025. This new leadership team will ensure that the momentum continues and will guide us into our next election cycle with new ideas, strong outreach and energetic teamwork. Thank you to the members of the County Central Committee who served for the past four years, including our past chair, Dayna Colbert, who now serves Democrats statewide as the Executive Director of the Indiana Democratic Party,
When you elected me as your Chair one year ago, I promised to strengthen Democratic voters, enhance outreach, recruit volunteers and raise funds. With your help, we accomplished those goals and kept Democrats moving forward in a way that few other counties did. Now, we look to the future and work together for Democratic wins in 2026!
With gratitude,
-Jocelyn Vare
To review all the slides from our January 28th HamCo Connect Meeting please click here.
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