State

Secretary of State

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

What this office does: The Secretary of State is Indiana's chief election official and also registers businesses and regulates securities and auto dealers.

Candidates Compare by issue

Max Engling

Republican

Cicero

The gist

Supports ensuring only U.S. citizens vote in Indiana.
Supports the full federal SAVE America Act.
Supports closing Indiana's party primaries.
Proposes a portal for citizens to report election issues.
Proposes screening business filings to stop shell-company fraud.
Pledges to cut regulations on small businesses.
Supports keeping a paper record of every vote.
Supports the Recount Commission's handling of the District 23 recount.

More about Max

View sources (3)

Supports ensuring only U.S. citizens vote in Indiana.
Max Engling for Indiana Secretary of State (Meet Max; The Platform)
Campaign website · Max for Indiana · maxforindiana.com
“ensuring only U.S. citizens vote in Indiana elections”
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“the color of that ID card should be changed”
Supports the full federal SAVE America Act.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“Engling was also the only one to support the full SAVE America Act”
Supports closing Indiana's party primaries.
Max Engling for Indiana Secretary of State (Meet Max; The Platform)
Campaign website · Max for Indiana · maxforindiana.com
“advocate for closed primaries to preserve the integrity of the Republican nomination process”
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“Republicans and Democrats, should be picking their own candidates”
Proposes a portal for citizens to report election issues.
Max Engling for Indiana Secretary of State (Meet Max; The Platform)
Campaign website · Max for Indiana · maxforindiana.com
“a direct channel for citizens to report potential election issues themselves”
Proposes screening business filings to stop shell-company fraud.
Max Engling for Indiana Secretary of State (Meet Max; The Platform)
Campaign website · Max for Indiana · maxforindiana.com
“Screen business filings to push back on shell companies that register identical LLCs to defraud customers”
Pledges to cut regulations on small businesses.
Max Engling for Indiana Secretary of State (Meet Max; The Platform)
Campaign website · Max for Indiana · maxforindiana.com
“slash onerous regulations on small businesses and streamline business services”
Supports keeping a paper record of every vote.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“we have a paper record of everything of every vote in the state of Indiana”
Supports the Recount Commission's handling of the District 23 recount.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“I think when you look what happened with the recount commission, they followed the law”

Beau Bayh

Democratic

Indianapolis

The gist

Pledges an independent audit of the Secretary of State's office.
Pledges no state contracts for his campaign donors.
Supports Indiana's voter ID law.
Opposes closing Indiana's party primaries.
Supports statewide ballot referendums, including on redistricting.
Supports counting the disputed District 23 absentee ballots.
Pledges to help new businesses and cut red tape.
Supports labor unions and opposes excessive taxes on workers.

More about Beau

View sources (3)

Pledges an independent audit of the Secretary of State's office.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“So my first act as secretary of state is going to be to open an independent audit of this office.”
Pledges no state contracts for his campaign donors.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“no donor to our campaign, will be awarded a single state contract”
Supports Indiana's voter ID law.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“I support our state's voter ID law.”
Opposes closing Indiana's party primaries.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“I don't think it's fair, and I don't think it makes a ton of sense to let the private clubs close off their primary process”
Supports statewide ballot referendums, including on redistricting.
The Issues
Campaign website · Beau Bayh for Indiana · beaubayh.com
“He supports statewide ballot referendums that would allow Hoosier voters to weigh in on issues important to them, including redistricting.”
Supports counting the disputed District 23 absentee ballots.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“Bayh said the votes should be counted because there are no allegations of fraud or wrongdoing.”
Pledges to help new businesses and cut red tape.
The Issues
Campaign website · Beau Bayh for Indiana · beaubayh.com
“ensuring they have the tools necessary to thrive and find ways to cut red tape and wasteful spending”
Supports labor unions and opposes excessive taxes on workers.
The Issues
Campaign website · Beau Bayh for Indiana · beaubayh.com
“fighting excessive taxes on working people, supporting labor unions”

Lauri A. Shillings

Libertarian

Carmel

The gist

Pledges to fix the state's business filing website.
Proposes one filing system shared by state and county offices.
Pledges to keep voter data from outside interests.
Pledges plain-language voter education before every election.
Opposes the federal SAVE Act's added voting requirements.
Supports an audit of the Secretary of State's office.
Supports publishing the results of post-election audits.
Supports counting the disputed District 23 absentee ballots.

More about Lauri

View sources (3)

Pledges to fix the state's business filing website.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“I really want to address some of the issues with the website.”
Lauri Shillings On the Issues
Campaign website · Lauri for Liberty · lauriforliberty.com
“The website has broken links, outdated interfaces, and processes that require business owners to become bureaucracy experts”
Proposes one filing system shared by state and county offices.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“I want to make it a unified effort, so that when local county clerks go to file paperwork”
Pledges to keep voter data from outside interests.
Lauri Shillings On the Issues
Campaign website · Lauri for Liberty · lauriforliberty.com
“never be used as a tool to advance a political agenda or to hand sensitive voter data to outside interests”
Pledges plain-language voter education before every election.
Lauri Shillings On the Issues
Campaign website · Lauri for Liberty · lauriforliberty.com
“I will expand clear, accessible voter education resources so every Hoosier understands how to register, where to vote, what is on their ballot”
Opposes the federal SAVE Act's added voting requirements.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“I believe that it disenfranchises people who absolutely should be able to vote.”
Supports an audit of the Secretary of State's office.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“Shillings and Bayh also said they would support an audit.”
Supports publishing the results of post-election audits.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“So if that were more transparent, I think people in the state of Indiana would be more readily agreeable that our elections are also secure.”
Supports counting the disputed District 23 absentee ballots.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“he would have counted the voters. Shillings also agreed.”

Greg Ballard

Lincoln Party

Whitestown

The gist

Pledges not to endorse or fund candidates while in office.
Proposes a statewide voter guide for every voter.
Proposes a recount commission made up of retired judges.
Proposes hands-on election training for clerks and poll workers.
Supports an audit of the office, focused on travel spending.
Opposes the federal SAVE America Act as an intrusion.
Supports easing ballot access for independent candidates.
Supports counting the disputed District 23 absentee ballots.

More about Greg

View sources (3)

Pledges not to endorse or fund candidates while in office.
Greg's Plan
Campaign website · Greg for Indiana · gregballard.com
“he will not endorse, donate to, or raise money for candidates whose elections his office oversees … called on the Indiana General Assembly to bar the state's chief election officer from endorsing, fundraising for or donating to candidates once in office”
Proposes a statewide voter guide for every voter.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“We want to put out a voter's guide for everybody.”
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“A software app would also be part of the program costing upwards of $2.5 million each election cycle.”
Greg's Plan
Campaign website · Greg for Indiana · gregballard.com
“Greg will work to create Indiana's first statewide voter guide, similar to those already used successfully in other states.”
Proposes a recount commission made up of retired judges.
Greg's Plan
Campaign website · Greg for Indiana · gregballard.com
“My plan would expand Indiana's recount commission from three members to five, with every member required to be a retired judge.”
Proposes hands-on election training for clerks and poll workers.
Greg's Plan
Campaign website · Greg for Indiana · gregballard.com
“Greg Ballard will establish a hands-on election training program for county clerks and poll workers”
Supports an audit of the office, focused on travel spending.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“Travel expenses would be a particular point of emphasis,”
Opposes the federal SAVE America Act as an intrusion.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“Ballard said Indiana's election security record is solid and he considers the proposal a federal intrusion.”
Supports easing ballot access for independent candidates.
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State (full, unedited candidate interviews and transcripts)
Interview · WFYI Public Media · Sep 23, 2026 · wfyi.org
“those are punitive obstacles in the way of having more people on the ballot”
Supports counting the disputed District 23 absentee ballots.
Indiana secretary of state hopefuls clash over voting rules, office audit (Aug. 26 debate at the Indy Chamber's HobNob)
News coverage · Indiana Capital Chronicle · Aug 26, 2026 · indianacapitalchronicle.com
“Ballard said the intent of the voter should be paramount, and he would have counted the voters.”

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; 3 issues covered in this race.