James Merritt Jr.
James Merritt (Republican Party) was a member of the Indiana State Senate, representing District 31. Merritt assumed office in 1990. Merritt left office on November 4, 2020.
Merritt (Republican Party) ran for election for Mayor of Indianapolis. Merritt lost in the general election on November 5, 2019.
On September 8, 2020, Merritt announced his resignation from the state Senate, effective November 4, 2020.[1]
Biography
Merritt earned his B.A. in political science from Indiana University in 1981. His professional experience includes working as the President of Circle Financial Corporation.
Committee assignments
2019-2020
Merritt was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Public Policy Committee
- Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee
- Utilities Committee, Chair
- Veterans Affairs and the Military Committee
- Homeland Security and Transportation Committee
- Senate Joint Rules Committee
- Commerce and Technology Committee, Ranking member
2018 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2018 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2018 |
|---|
| • Commerce and Technology |
| • Homeland Security and Transportation |
| • Joint Rules |
| • Public Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedure |
| • Utilities, Chair |
| • Veterans Affairs and the Military |
2016 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2016 legislative session, Merritt served on the following committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2016 |
|---|
| • Utilities, Chair |
| • Commerce and Technology, Ranking Member |
| • Homeland Security and Transportation |
| • Joint Rules |
| • Public Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedure |
| • Veterans Affairs and the Military |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Merritt served on the following committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Commerce and Technology |
| • Homeland Security and Transportation |
| • Joint Rules |
| • Public Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedure |
| • Utilities, Chair |
| • Veterans Affairs and the Military |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Merritt served on the following committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Affairs |
| • Joint Rules |
| • Public Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedure |
| • Utilities, Chair |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Merritt served on these committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Appointments and Claims |
| • Homeland Security, Transportation & Veterans Affairs |
| • Joint Rules |
| • Public Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedure |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Merritt served on these committees:
| Indiana committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Appointments and Claims |
| • Commerce & Economic Development |
| • Homeland Security, Transportation & Veterans Affairs |
| • Joint Rules |
| • Rules and Legislative Procedure |
| • Utilities & Technology |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2019
See also: Mayoral election in Indianapolis, Indiana (2019)
General election
General election for Mayor of Indianapolis
Incumbent Joe Hogsett defeated James Merritt and Douglas McNaughton in the general election for Mayor of Indianapolis on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Joe Hogsett (D) | 71.6 | 109,087 |
 | James Merritt (R) | 26.9 | 40,906 | |
 | Douglas McNaughton (L)  | 1.5 | 2,354 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 3 | ||
| Total votes: 152,350 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Javontae Bibbs (Independent)
- John Schmitz (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Mayor of Indianapolis
Incumbent Joe Hogsett defeated Denise Paul Hatch in the Democratic primary for Mayor of Indianapolis on May 7, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joe Hogsett | 83.9 | 29,111 |
 | Denise Paul Hatch | 16.1 | 5,571 | |
| Total votes: 34,682 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Mayor of Indianapolis
James Merritt defeated Christopher Moore and Felipe Rios in the Republican primary for Mayor of Indianapolis on May 7, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | James Merritt | 82.8 | 14,910 |
 | Christopher Moore | 14.6 | 2,622 | |
 | Felipe Rios | 2.7 | 486 | |
| Total votes: 18,018 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2018
- See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2018
See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Indiana State Senate District 31
Incumbent James Merritt defeated Derek Camp in the general election for Indiana State Senate District 31 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | James Merritt (R) | 51.4 | 30,221 |
 | Derek Camp (D) | 48.6 | 28,612 | |
| Total votes: 58,833 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 31
Derek Camp advanced from the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 31 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Derek Camp | 100.0 | 5,885 |
| Total votes: 5,885 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 31
Incumbent James Merritt defeated Crystal D. LaMotte in the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 31 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | James Merritt | 67.4 | 6,283 |
| Crystal D. LaMotte | 32.6 | 3,043 | ||
| Total votes: 9,326 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2014
- See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Indiana State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2014. Incumbent James W. Merritt, Jr. defeated Crystal D. LaMotte in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[2][3]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 James Merritt, Jr. Incumbent |
74% | 6,035 |
| Crystal D. LaMotte | 26% | 2,118 |
| Total Votes | 8,153 | |
2010
- See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2010
Merritt defeated Democratic candidate Frank Anderson and Libertarian candidate Benjamin Hale with 16,545 votes; Anderson received 14,187 votes and Hale received 827 votes.[4]
In the May 4 primary election, Merritt ran unopposed.[5]
| Indiana State Senate, District 31 General Election 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| James Merritt, Jr. (R)
|
16,545 | 52.4% | ||
| Frank Anderson (D) | 14,187 | 45% | ||
| Benjamin Hale (L) | 827 | 2.6% | ||
2006
- See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2006
On November 7, 2006, Republican James Merritt won re-election to the Indiana State Senate District 31 receiving 15,465 votes, ahead of Democrat Russell Leroy Brown receiving 13,190 votes.[6]
| Indiana State Senate, District 31 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| James Merritt (R)
|
15,465 | |||
| Russell Leroy Brown (D) | 13,190 | |||
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
James Merritt did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Merritt and his wife, Kelley, have three children.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Indiana scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2020
In 2020, the Indiana State Legislature was in session from January 6 to March 11.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to consumer interests.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on whether they supported or opposed IMA's position on a bill.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to public education.
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 3 through April 24.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 2 through March 16.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 3 through April 22.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 5 through March 10.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 6 through April 29.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 6 through March 14.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 7 through April 29.
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See also
2019 Elections
- Indiana State Legislature
- Indiana State Senate
- Indiana Senate Committees
- Indiana state legislative districts
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Jim Merritt's campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1994
- Jim Merritt on Facebook
Footnotes
- ↑ IBJ.com, "Merritt resigning after 30 years in state Senate," September 8, 2020
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed February 10, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 12, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2010 Indiana State Senate Official General Election Results," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2010 Primary Election Results," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "2006 Official election results," accessed March 6, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Indiana State Senate District 31 1990–2020 |
Succeeded by NA |
| |||||||||
