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Indiana judicial elections summary, 2014
| Indiana judicial elections, 2014 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Total candidates: | 239 |
| Primary candidates: | 203 |
| General election candidates: | 195 |
| Incumbency | |
| Incumbents: | 122 |
| Incumbent success rate: | 93% |
| Competition - general election | |
| Percent of candidates in contested races: | 32% |
| Percent uncontested: | 61% |
| Percent retention: | 7% |
| Partisan victories | |
Republican 
|
98 |
Democratic 
|
45 |
2015 →
← 2013
|
| Judicial Elections |
|---|
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| Judicial elections, 2014 |
| Judicial election dates |
| Candidates by state |
| Supreme court elections |
In Indiana's 2014 judicial elections, 239 candidates participated, including 122 incumbents running for re-election. The primary was held on May 6, with the general election taking place on November 4.
Indiana judicial elections consist of partisan elections for the circuit courts and small claims courts, as well as yes-no retention elections for the Indiana Supreme Court, the Indiana Court of Appeals, and the Indiana superior courts.
In the November 4, 2014 general election, 195 candidates ran for judicial office in Indiana. Of these, 62 faced contested races, 14 stood for retention, and 119 ran unopposed. Nine incumbent judges lost their races, while all 14 judges up for retention were successfully retained.[1]
For general election results, see: Indiana judicial elections, 2014.
For primary election results, see: Indiana judicial primary elections, 2014.
Interesting races
- The Ripley County Superior Court race between Jeff Sharp and John Kellerman II was decided by less than a percentage point, making it the closest judicial race in the state. Sharp won the race with 50.1% of the vote.[1]
- While all judges up for retention successfully gained new terms, the highest "yes" percentage belonged to Jane Woodward Miller of the St. Joseph County Superior Court at 75.8%. The judge with the lowest percentage of favorable votes was John M. Sedia of the Lake County Superior Court, who received 66.2%.[1]
- Two Indiana Supreme Court justices were retained in 2014. Justice Loretta H. Rush was retained with 69.0%, and Justice Mark S. Massa received 67.3%.
- Nine incumbent judges were defeated in their bids for re-election. Seven of those judges were defeated in their respective primaries, while two judges, Danny Vaughn and Clark G. Rehme, made it through the primaries but lost in the general election. Judge Danny Vaughn of the Wayne Township Small Claims Court was defeated by Gerald B. Coleman, an attorney in private practice, who received 51.9% of the vote. Judge Clark G. Rehme of the Lawrence Township Small Claims Court was defeated by Kimberly Bacon, who received 54.2% of the vote.
Analysis
Partisan victories: Indiana 2014
- Democrat: 45
- Republican: 98
- Other/no party: 6
Opposed vs. unopposed candidates: Indiana general election 2014
- Unopposed: 119
- Opposed: 62
List of defeated incumbents
| Name | Court |
|---|---|
| Alison T. Frazier | Jefferson County Superior Court - No. 1 |
| Clark G. Rehme | Indiana Small Claims Courts - Lawrence Township |
| Daniel Moore | Clark County Circuit Court - No. 1 |
| Danny Vaughn | Indiana Small Claims Courts - Wayne Township |
| George E. Brown | LaGrange County Superior Court - No. 1 |
| Gregory J. Donat | Tippecanoe County Superior Court - No. 4 |
| Jennifer L. Koethe | LaPorte County Superior Court - No. 3 |
| Jerry Jacobi | Clark County Circuit Court - No. 2 |
| Michelle S. Scott | Indiana Small Claims Courts - Center Township |
See also
- Indiana judicial elections, 2014
- Indiana elections
- Portal:Judicial elections
- Judicial selection in Indiana
- Indiana
External links
Footnotes
| |||||
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Indiana, Southern District of Indiana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Indiana, Southern District of Indiana
State courts:
Indiana Supreme Court • Indiana Court of Appeals • Indiana Tax Court • Indiana Superior Courts • Indiana Circuit Courts • Indiana City Courts • Indiana County Courts • Indiana Municipal Courts • Indiana Small Claims Courts • St. Joseph County Probate Court • Indiana Town Courts
State resources:
Courts in Indiana • Indiana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Indiana
