To paraphrase Mark Twain - ’rumors of our death are greatly exaggerated.’

Democrats in Shelbyville are back in a big way!!!

Shelbyville Mayor-elect Tom DeBaun shook hands and thanked supporters at Democrat Headquarters on election night with the same enthusiasm he wielded to defeat his well-financed opponent Nov. 8.

DeBaun trounced city councilman Jeff Sponsel by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, securing the top post in city government 2,293 votes to 1,311.

Right along side Tom, former mayor Frank Zerr reclaimed his old job as clerk-treasurer, defeating his incumbent Republican opponent Rod Meyerholtz by 1,909 to 1,678.

Despite hard-fought campaigns, Democrats did not secure seats on the Common Council – the GOP has all seven council seats for the next four years, though not by much.

In the 1st Ward, hats off to Joanne Bowen who, through her selfless hard work and perseverance, came short of victory by only 17 votes, falling to incumbent Dick Fero 310 to 294.

Democrat Kerry May lost to David Carmony, 290 to 234 in Ward 2.  Meanwhile in Ward 3, incumbent Rob Nolley, cited by The Shelbyville News as having the worst attendance record of any member of the City Council, defeated Democrat Jim Atkins inexplicably by 640 to 356.

Kudos to Carrie Ridgeway whose dedication and tell-it-like-it-is honesty took her to within 27 votes of sending Republican  Ron Hamilton on his way, in a 411 to 385 heart-breaker in the 4th Ward.

And here’s to Jeff Wright for his even-tempered, steadfast campaign effort that nearly took him to victory over Republican Jason Brown, 341 to 275.

Many thanks also to Wade Lewis and Poochie Macklin, our at-large council candidates, who lost to incumbents David Phares and Brian Asher by very small percentage margins. 

Elsewhere, the ‘un-official mayor’ of Morristown, Democrat Don Roberts, has won back his old job of Clerk-Treasurer, but the GOP will retain control of the Morristown Town Council.

Overall turnout in the election was nearly 34.5 percent.

Countless thanks to all of our volunteers and supporters!!! 

Without you this great election victory would not have been possible.  But the effort has just begun.  Please come to our monthly meetings and support the Democrat Party every day in every way!

THANK YOU ALL!!!

John Gregg is a native Hoosier, a lifelong Democrat and a committed public servant who has been a leader throughout our state for more than 20 years. Throughout his career, John has focused on two things: serving others and creating opportunity right here in Indiana.

John grew up in Knox County and still calls Sandborn his home. He got his start in public service in 1986 when he was elected to represent Southwest Indiana in the Statehouse.

John was in the Statehouse for eight terms, rising to the office of Speaker of the House. He served as speaker for six consecutive years, making him the longest-serving Democratic speaker in Indiana’s history, when he left office.

John is a Democrat, and he is guided by his Democratic values. As Speaker, John realized his job was to bring people together from throughout Indiana to work on the issues that matter to Hoosiers and the middle class. John cut taxes and balanced budgets, all while overseeing record surpluses. Just as importantly, he accomplished these things by working with people on the issues that unite us — not the politics of division that are far too common today.

In 2002, John voluntarily left office to spend more time with his two sons and to enter into the private sector. Since 2002, John has been the interim President of Vincennes University and is an attorney in Vincennes. In 2008, John re-entered politics, serving as honorary chair of the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign in Indiana.

While his career has been defined by incredible professional success, John’s proudest achievement and greatest love are his two sons, John and Hunter. And those who know John say with certainty that no matter what his future holds, that will always remain true.

John is an author, Hoosier Hero award winner, former university president, loyal Democrat and genuine leader with a proven record of winning all eight elections in which he’s run. With your help, John Gregg will be the next governor of the great state of Indiana.

For more information, go to John’s website here

The speeches were as delicious as the fried chicken at the Shelby County Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner held on Sept. 27 at Occasions Banquet Hall in Shelbyville. 

Shelbyville’s next Mayor, Tom DeBaun, and others warmed up the audience for keynote speaker Democratic candidate for governor John Gregg, and the former Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives regaled the enthusiastic crowd with his insightful wit and good humor. 

Dee Bonner’s original artwork was raffled for a tidy sum, and there was much good camaraderie to accompany the superb meal served up by Martin Zinser and his gracious staff. 

Many thanks to Cheryl Etherton and all the other volunteers for their hard work which resulted in a sensational and very successful evening for the Shelby County Democratic Party.

Now on to Nov. 8 - this is our year to win back Shelbyville city government!

A standing ovation as Tom DeBaun prepares to address the crowd.

John Gregg and Tom DeBaun compare notes at a welcome gathering prior to the JJ Dinner.

175 people came to hear the future Mayor of Shelbyville and future Governor of Indiana speak.

Voice of the Voter is a secure website where you, our fellow citizens, can post your questions for Mayor-elect Tom DeBaun, and tell us your views and concerns about our city. 

All postings are anonymous – we will not share your personal information with anyone!

Please click on the link below to visit Voice of the Voter, and remember we’re:

“Working Together to Build Our Community”

We’ve partnered with ActBlue, a national nonprofit organization committed to helping fund local Democratic Party groups and candidates across the nation.

To make your gift to the Shelby County Democratic Party, just click on the Contribute Today! button to your right.  There you’ll find a link to our page on ActBlue where you can use your credit or debit card to make your contribution.  Easy and secure!

The upcoming election Nov. 8 is the most important in many years here in Shelbyville and Shelby County.  We need your help to win – please join us! 

With a solid majority in the Indiana House and a super-majority in the Senate following the November 2010 elections, Statehouse Republicans led by Gov. Mitch Daniels approved much of a GOP wish list in the 2011 legislative session.

Republicans pressed ahead with an agenda of social legislation, and the outcomes prompted no less than the usually conservative Indianapolis Business Journal to ridicule the measures on the editorial page of its May 7, 2011, issue:

“…we’re forlorn, even embarrassed by what emanated from the Statehouse this year,” the IBJ said. 

One was the failure to authorize a statewide smoking ban, which the IBJ noted could hurt the state’s convention and tourism industry, worth $3.56 billion in Indianapolis alone last year, according to the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. 

Another was approval of a proposed amendment to the Indiana Constitution that would ban gay marriage and civil unions.  The IBJ said the proposal will harm the state’s ability to attract skilled, educated workers and expressed relief that it still must be approved in a second legislative session, either in 2013 or 2014, then face a statewide ballot referendum in 2014.

Finally, the Republican-controlled House and Senate approved a measure, which the governor signed, to end all state funding of Planned Parenthood, making Indiana the first state in the country to do so. 

In its editorial, the IBJ called it, “…a bad law, just the sort of vindictive, backward measure that lawmakers spent way too much time debating this year.”

Ending the funding puts the state at risk of losing $4 million per year in federal family planning funds.  None of the federal or state money is used for abortions. 

A federal judge in Indianapolis ruled on May 11 that the new law may go into effect – another hearing is scheduled for June 6.

Among other contentious items approved by the GOP-controlled legislature this year are House Bills 1002 and 1003 which expand the state’s charter schools and voucher programs, and Senate Bills 1 and 575 which create an annual performance review for teachers and limit collective bargaining for teachers’ unions to wages and wage-related benefits. 

GOP lawmakers also cut unemployment benefits for laid-off workers by 25 percent – the average benefit payout of $283 will drop by about $70 per week – while at the same time cutting the amount business has to pay into the state’s unemployment fund.

Business tax cutting continued as Republicans approved legislation to reduce the state’s corporate income tax from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent phased in over 4 years, an effort to make Indiana more attractive to new economic development.

Lawmakers also approved HB 1216, the Common Construction Wage bill, raising the price of government contracts which require the common wage structure from $150,000 to $250,000 in 2012, then to $350,000 in 2013, meaning fewer contracts will have to pay the higher common wage, hurting union workers.

House and Senate negotiators restored funding to the horse racing industry that was cut by more than half in the House version of the 2-year state budget.  The fund will receive about $60 million this year.

And the legislature expanded the governor’s power to create toll roads but not as much as originally proposed.  The governor now has the authority to designate new highways as toll roads without legislative approval, but not existing roads as in the initial plan.

These bills died in session:

• “right to work” legislation which would have allowed employees to decline union membership and dues

• a plan to let cities and towns declare bankruptcy and have the state take over

• a bill to make mortgage lenders care for foreclosed properties – cities and towns supported the measure; banks opposed it

• local government reform legislation also failed to win approval