By Niki Kelly | Editor-in-Chief
“Out of 92 counties in Indiana, Trump’s DOJ has chosen two counties with the largest populations of Democratic voters and Black and Hispanic voters to subject to ‘election monitoring.’ It’s no coincidence.” — Indiana Congressman André Carson
The major party candidates running for secretary of state squared off last night in a debate, and it didn’t disappoint.
From Israel and Washington, D.C. to South Korea and Arizona, the state’s top officials have been traveling for work. But mostly, they stay in Indiana.
Federal election monitors are coming to the Hoosier State.
You’ve seen the scooter and e-bikes around Indianapolis and other cities. Are they dangerous? Some states and cities are starting to crack down.
Plus, school districts get more money every year and are still cutting. I explain why.
Republican candidate Max Engling, left, and Democratic candidate Beau Bayh participate in a secretary of state debate Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, at Fox59/CBS4 studios in Indianapolis. (Photo courtesy: Grace Smith/IndyStar pool photo)
Engling, Bayh duel over key differences in secretary of state race
By Mackenzi Klemann
Democrat Beau Bayh and Republican Max Engling agree on one thing: Indiana’s next secretary of state must investigate Diego Morales, the scandal-plagued outgoing incumbent.
But the candidates offered contrasting visions of who should lead such an investigation in the final secretary of state debate Thursday.
The duo also traded barbs about their residency, their driving records, campaign contributions, ethics pledges and the debate host's decision not to invite their opponents.
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and his wife attended the White House Christmas party in December 2025. (Photo from official account)
White House visits, overseas conferences among Indiana officials’ $132K in travel expenses
By Casey Smith and Tom Davies
Gov. Mike Braun led Indiana’s top officials in reported travel expenses last fiscal year, narrowly outspending Secretary of State Diego Morales even as most of the governor’s travel kept him within Indiana.
Other officials ventured farther. Their schedules included a White House Christmas reception, an Israeli delegation, a nuclear energy conference in South Korea and a Swiss apprenticeship exchange.
A sign directing voters to a polling site in Westfield, Indiana, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (Photo by Tom Davies/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
DOJ sending election observers to Indianapolis, Lake County
By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
Federal observers are coming to Indiana’s Marion and Lake counties on Election Day as voters in the two heavily Democratic areas cast their votes.
A U.S. Department of Justice email addressed to the Marion County Election Board didn’t indicate why the counties were selected for monitoring.
“Out of 92 counties in Indiana, Trump’s DOJ has chosen two counties with the largest populations of Democratic voters and Black and Hispanic voters to subject to ‘election monitoring.’ It’s no coincidence,” said U.S. Rep. André Carson, who represents most of Indianapolis, in a news release.
COMMENTARY
A sign supporting a referendum for the Elwood Community School Corporation from September 2026. (Photo by Niki Kelly/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Schools are making cuts even though more money is coming in
By Niki Kelly
Many of you will see a property tax referendum for your local school district on your ballot this year. And you have likely heard lots of concern from superintendents and school boards about cuts to their funding.
I wanted to give you some important context before you make your decisions.
NATIONAL NEWS
Electric bikes and electric scooters parked on a street in Columbus, Ohio. Lawmakers in Ohio and many other states have enacted or are considering tougher regulations for e-bikes and e-scooters as their popularity — and safety concerns — grow. (Photo by Megan Henry/Ohio Capital Journal)
E-bikes now rival motorcycles for speed. State and city laws haven’t caught up.
By Anna Claire Vollers
Earlier this month, a 50-year-old man riding his personal electric scooter in Washington, D.C., was killed when he collided with a woman on a rideshare scooter.
In June, a 12-year-old Massachusetts girl died after her electric scooter slammed into a school bus in a suburb of Boston.
And in April, an Atlanta woman riding an electric bike was killed when she hit a curb and was thrown headfirst into a wall.
A string of high-profile deaths and injuries involving electric scooters and bikes is spurring states and cities across the country to crack down on them.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
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