Ballot question
Town of Ellettsville Reorganization (Local Public Question)
- On the ballot in
- Town of Ellettsville Reorganization (Monroe County)
- Vote
- Yes or no
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
The question, as printed on the ballot
Richland Township of Monroe County, Indiana and the Town of Ellettsville of Monroe County, Indiana have each adopted a Plan of Reorganization that provides for the consolidation of Richland Township into the Town of Ellettsville as a single governmental unit that will be governed and administered as a town with a seven (7) member elected Town Council. Shall Richland Township and the Town of Ellettsville reorganize as a single political subdivision?
A “Yes” vote means
Approves the plan: Richland Township merges into the Town of Ellettsville on Jan. 1, 2027, the township trustee and board are dissolved, and the town council grows to seven members.
A “No” vote means
Richland Township and the Town of Ellettsville remain separate governments: the township keeps its trustee and three-member board, and the town its five-member council.
Official plain English statement
Under the plan adopted by both governments, Richland Township would be consolidated into the Town of Ellettsville on January 1, 2027: the township trustee and township board would be dissolved, the town would take over township services such as township assistance, and the town council would grow from five to seven members. The plan is approved only if more than 50% vote yes among Ellettsville voters, among voters in the rest of Richland Township, and among all of them together.
On the ballot as "TOWN OF ELLETTSVILLE REORGANIZATION" (Local Public Question), for voters in Richland Township and the Town of Ellettsville (part of the town lies in Bean Blossom Township). A reorganization under the Government Modernization Act (IC 36-1.5). Under the plan, the two added at-large council seats are filled through 2030 by the Richland Township Board members who received the most votes in the 2026 election; the town's existing debt stays with town taxpayers; and the plan's fiscal analysis projects property tax bill increases of 6.9% in unincorporated Richland Township, 4.1% in Ellettsville-Richland and 3.4% in Ellettsville-Bean Blossom.
Sources
- Who and What Is on My Ballot: the official ballot of every precinct, 2026 General Election · Indiana Election Division (Indiana Voter Portal)
- Plan of Reorganization for Richland Township, Monroe County, Indiana and Town of Ellettsville, Indiana (June 22, 2026 final, as submitted to the DLGF) · Richland Township Board and Ellettsville Town Council (Reorganization Committee)
- Government: Ellettsville & Richland Township Reorganization · Town of Ellettsville
The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.