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County Commissioner, Blackford County

District 2

Vote for
1
Term
4 years
Candidates
2
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The three county commissioners are Blackford County's executive: they manage county property, roads and bridges, sign contracts and pass ordinances.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Shane Smith

Republican

Business owner; contractor · Rural Hartford City

The gist

  • Supports tightening tax abatements and fixing renewable-energy setback rules
  • Pledges to negotiate stronger development deals for the county
  • Supports clearer communication and resident-first processes on projects
More about Shane
View sources (1)

  1. Supports tightening tax abatements and fixing renewable-energy setback rules

    Three seek commissioner nomination

    Candidate questionnaire · The News-Times (Hartford City) · Apr 15, 2026 · hartfordcitynewstimes.com

    “Tax abatements need to be tightened up, and our setback rules need to be fixed.”

  2. Pledges to negotiate stronger development deals for the county

    Three seek commissioner nomination

    Candidate questionnaire · The News-Times (Hartford City) · Apr 15, 2026 · hartfordcitynewstimes.com

    “I would address this by negotiating stronger deals, focusing on businesses that bring real value to the county”

  3. Supports clearer communication and resident-first processes on projects

    Three seek commissioner nomination

    Candidate questionnaire · The News-Times (Hartford City) · Apr 15, 2026 · hartfordcitynewstimes.com

    “We need stronger negotiating, clearer communication, and a process that puts residents first.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 2 issues covered in this race.