Indianapolis City-County Council

Minority

Other

• Non-caucusing Democrats (2) (25 seats) (25 seats) City-County Building 200 E. Washington St. The City-County Council of Indianapolis and Marion County is the legislative body of the combined government of the city of Indianapolis and the county of Marion in the state of Indiana. The council was established as part of the consolidation of city and county governments, enacted by Unigov on January 1, 1970.

The council is composed of 25 members elected to four-year renewable terms, each representing an electoral district. The council is responsible for reviewing and adopting budgets and appropriations. It can also enact, repeal, or amend ordinances, and make appointments to certain boards and commissions, among other duties. Council offices and the public assembly room are housed in the City-County Building.

History

City Council (1832–1891)

Robert Bruce Bagby was elected as the city's first African American to serve on the Indianapolis City Council in 1877.

Common Council (1891–1970)

Nannette Dowd became the first woman elected to Indianapolis Common Council in the 1934 municipal election. Sumner Alexander Furniss was elected and served from 1917 to 1921.

City-County Council (1970–present)

Following the launch of Unigov on January 1, 1970, members of the former Indianapolis Common Council and the Marion County Council were combined to form the first City-County Council. The council was composed of 29 seats: 25 representing geographic districts and four at-large. The first City-County Council election occurred on November 2, 1971.

In the 2011 Indianapolis City-County Council election, Zach Adamson was elected as the first openly gay member of the council, representing District 17.

In April 2013, the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Enrolled Act 621 which outlined several changes to city-county government, including eliminating the council's four at-large seats following the 2015 Indianapolis City-County Council election. The controversial bill was signed into law by Governor Mike Pence.

The 2019 Indianapolis City-County Council election proved historic. Democrats flipped six Republican seats to earn the party's first supermajority since the council's creation in 1970. Ali Brown became the first openly queer-identifying woman to serve on the council, representing District 5. Along with the reelection of Adamson, Brown was joined by fellow newcomers Ethan Evans (District 4) and Keith Potts (District 2), respectively—the most LGBTQ members in the council's history.

Leading up to the 2023 municipal primary the Marion County Democratic Party announced the end of slating, a political process in which precinct committee persons endorsed candidates during a pre-primary convention. Candidates endorsed through the slating process were supported with party resources. In 2019, of the 24 electoral districts with contested Democratic primaries, 15 candidates were unopposed on the ballot. That year, all the incumbent councilors in both the Democratic and Republican primaries won their primary races.

In the 2023 Indianapolis City-County Council election, the Republican Party gained one seat while the Democratic Party maintained its supermajority with 19 seats. During the Democratic primary, 11 candidates ran unopposed. Three incumbent Democratic councilors were defeated in the May primary. Jesse Brown, an endorsed member of the Democratic Socialists of America was elected (District 13). Nick Roberts, age 23, was elected to (District 4), making him the youngest elected official for any of the 50 largest American cities at the time.

Composition

The Indianapolis City-County Council consists of 25 seats corresponding to 25 electoral districts apportioned by population throughout Marion County. Because the council is the legislative body for both the city and the county, residents of Marion County's four "excluded cities" (Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport, and Speedway) are eligible to vote in council elections and are equally represented alongside Indianapolis residents. Every seat is up for reelection every four years. The head of the council is the council president who is elected by the majority party at the council's first meeting in January.

Following the 2019 elections, Democrats expanded their control of the council with a 20–5 majority. This marked the first time in Indianapolis history that Democrats have held a supermajority on the council. The clerk of the council is Yulonda Winfield.

Current members

Standing committees

Salary

Members of the council earn an annual salary of $11,400, plus per diems of $112 per council meeting and $62 per committee meeting. Ordinance stipulates that annual base pay is capped at 12 percent of the mayor's salary ($95,000). In June 2022, councilors approved revisions to the ordinance for the first time in more than 20 years, increasing the annual salary to $31,075, in addition to per diems of $150 per council meeting and $75 per committee meeting. The ordinance will take effect in 2024, following the 2023 Indianapolis City-County Council election.

Pertinent issues

• Scooters Removal/Regulations
• Addressing Potholes
• Improve Downtown
• BlueIndy
• Equity and Equality
• Council Pay Raise

Former members

• Rozelle Boyd (1965–2007)
• Roger W. Brown (1972–1976)
• Paul Cantwell (1970–1979)
• Jeff Cardwell (2008–2013)
• André Carson (2007–2008)
• Ray Crowe (1984–1987)
• Aaron Freeman (2010–2016)
• Phillip Hinkle (1992–2000)
• Glenn L. Howard (1975–1992)
• La Keisha Jackson (2014–2024)
• Blake Johnson (2016–2020)
• Cherrish Pryor (2007–2008)
• John C. Ruckelshaus (1971–1975)
• Jack Sandlin (2010–2016)
• Scott Schneider (2000–2008)
• Beurt SerVaas (1961–2002)
• Jefferson Shreve (2013–2016, 2018–2020)
• Mike Speedy (2004–2010)

Notes

References

References

1. (2021). "Indianapolis City-County Council". Indianapolis Public Library.
2. (2021). "Robert Bruce Bagby". Indianapolis Public Library.
3. . (November 17, 1934). ["City Council Will Have First Woman Member"](http://www.newspapers.com/clip/16450044/nanette-dowd-indianapolis-city-council/). *The Indianapolis News*.
4. (January 1942). "Who's who in Colored America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Persons of African Descent in America". Thomas Yenser.
5. Pak-Harvey, Amelia. (February 2, 2020). "Historic city council has most LGBTQ members ever. Here's why that matters.". Gannett Company.
6. . (May 12, 2013). ["Pence signs measure overhauling Marion County government"](https://www.ibj.com/articles/41317-pence-signs-measure-overhauling-marion-county-government). *IBJ Media*.
7. Hays, Holly V.. (November 11, 2019). "Why some expect bipartisanship on City-County Council despite Democrats' historic supermajority". Gannett Company.
8. Fenwick, Tyler V.. (January 3, 2023). "Marion County Democrats will stop slating and move to open primary".
9. (January 3, 2023). "2019 Indianapolis Primary Election Results (Unofficial)".
10. Cheang, Ko Lyn. (2023-03-05). "Indianapolis voters oust 3 Democratic incumbents from City-County Council".
11. (2023-11-10). "Wins from coast to coast!".
12. "Republicans gain one seat as Democrats retain supermajority on Indy City-County Council.".
13. (2023-12-03). "Meet City-County Councilmember Nick Roberts, District 4 • Current Publishing".
14. (2008-01-04). "Marion County, Indiana". Savi Interactive.
15. (November 6, 2019). "Analysis: Indianapolis Democrats win big in City-County Council, flipping 6 seats". The Indy Channel.
16. (November 5, 2019). "Democrats expand majority on City-County Council". Indianapolis Business Journal.
17. (November 6, 2019). "Seismic shift: Democrats win City-County Council supermajority". WTHR.
18. . (November 30, 2008). ["Council gets a new member"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/126833565). *The Indianapolis Star*.
19. . (June 4, 2019). ["Clay resigns from City-County Council following tumultuous tenure"](https://www.ibj.com/articles/74030-clay-resigns-from-city-county-council-following-tumultuous-tenure). *Indianapolis Business Journal*.
20. Blanchard, Peter. (May 17, 2024). "Meet the new city-county councilor for the far east side". Mirror Indy.
21. Pak-Harvey, Amelia. (August 12, 2020). "One Republican candidate seeks vacant Indianapolis council seat". The Indianapolis Star.
22. "Committees of the Council".
23. "Municode Library".
24. Pak-Harvey, Amelia. (June 7, 2022). "Indianapolis city-county councilors approve pay raise, their first in more than 20 years". The Indianapolis Star.
25. Pinho, Faith E.. "Indianapolis scooters: What the proposed regulations could mean".
26. Chapman, Lauren. (February 28, 2018). "Indy City-County Council Makes Step Forward In Addressing Potholes".
27. Bartner, Amy. "$31 million tax to beautify Downtown Indianapolis moves to City-County Council".
28. "BlueIndy: Indianapolis electric car-sharing program to shut down".
29. "How council leader hopes to transform Indianapolis for poor and marginalized people".
30. "City-County Council Democrats pull pay raise proposal from agenda, will revisit in 2020".