The Gist
Home

County

County Council Member, White County

District 1

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

What this office does: The county council is White County's fiscal body: it adopts the budget, sets tax rates and approves spending.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Kelly Jones

Democratic

The gist

  • Pledges more transparency and accountability on the council
  • Supports pressing developers on water use and tax abatements
More about Kelly
View sources (2)

  1. Pledges more transparency and accountability on the council

    Kelly Jones White County Council (campaign Facebook page)

    Candidate social media · Kelly Jones White County Council · facebook.com

    “I want to bring more transparency and accountability to the White County Council.”

  2. Supports pressing developers on water use and tax abatements

    Kelly Jones White County Council: post on questions for a developers' public meeting

    Candidate social media · Kelly Jones White County Council · facebook.com

    “How much water will be used? ... Will THEY pay their property taxes or expect an abatement?”
Photo of Steven Christopher
Steven ChristopherImage provided by the campaign, via the Herald Journal (Monticello)

Steven Christopher

RepublicanIncumbent

White County Council member

The gist

  • Opposes giving prime farmland to solar arrays, data centers
  • Supports flat local taxes and tighter county budgets
  • Supported tabling a proposed county wheel tax
  • Voted against the LEAP water diversion, his campaign says
More about Steven
View sources (4)

  1. Opposes giving prime farmland to solar arrays, data centers

    District 1 Councilman Steve Christopher Announces Re-Election Bid

    News coverage · Herald Journal (Monticello) · Jul 8, 2026 · newsbug.info

    “we must pursue traditional, sustainable economic development without sacrificing our prime farmland to outside green energy developers, massive solar arrays or unvetted data centers.”

  2. Supports flat local taxes and tighter county budgets

    District 1 Councilman Steve Christopher Announces Re-Election Bid

    News coverage · Herald Journal (Monticello) · Jul 8, 2026 · newsbug.info

    “pushing for tighter departmental budgets across White County in 2025 and supporting measures to prevent increases in local taxes.”
    Steve Christopher for White County Council: "Growing Our Economy. Protecting What Matters." post

    Candidate social media · Steve Christopher for White County Council · facebook.com

    “I've fought to keep our taxes flat, tighten our county budgets & implement a strict Tax Abatement Scoring Rubric”

  3. Supported tabling a proposed county wheel tax

    Steve Christopher for White County Council: fiscal discipline post

    Candidate social media · Steve Christopher for White County Council · facebook.com

    “He tabled the wheel tax to protect your wallet.”

  4. Voted against the LEAP water diversion, his campaign says

    Steve Christopher for White County Council: "Our rural towns are the heart of White County" post

    Candidate social media · Steve Christopher for White County Council · facebook.com

    “I voted against the LEAP water diversion & blocked industrial battery storage because I stand with our agricultural community.”

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; 4 issues covered in this race.