Dubois County filing closes Feb. 6; both parties qualify May 5 primary

The filing period for candidates seeking nomination in the 2026 Primary Election in Dubois County concluded at noon on Friday, February 6, 2026. That deadline set the formal starting point for campaigns that will appear on the May 5, 2026 primary ballot and determines which local contests voters will face this spring.

Local listings captured a small number of names but no complete roster emerged from the materials reviewed. “Sara Schmidt, Greater jasper School Board, District (Dubois-Bainbridge Township)” and “Roger H. Corley, Southeast Dubois County School Board (At Large)” appear in local filings, and one entry shows only “Matt” with no further identification. “Candidates from both major parties submitted paperwork to qualify for placement on the May 5, 2026 primary ballot.” Ballotpedia notes that “Indiana is holding elections for local offices in 2026,” but its Dubois County page “does not have information on any offices on the ballot in Dubois County,” leaving a gap between statewide listings and locally reported filings.

The Dubois County Democratic Party emphasized internal party organization tied to this filing period. “In addition to the list of elected officials, 2026 is the Democrat Party’s turn to nominate Precinct Committeemen.” The party added, “We have 40 precincts in Dubois County, and we need a person to represent our party in each one,” and instructed prospective committeemen to “Turn the notarized form into the Dubois County Clerk’s Office in the Courthouse in Jasper, IN before noon, February 6th, 2026.” The party described the role as “Dubois County Democrat Precinct Committeeman,” with responsibilities that include “to vote for the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary of their county party.” The Democratic notice also states that “Each county party has a number of delegates to elect to attend the state convention and vote for the Democrat candidate for these 3 positions,” a phrase that remains ambiguous in the material provided.

Practical implications for Dubois County residents include tightened timetables for candidates and party activists and the likely appearance of contested local races on the May 5 ballot where multiple filings occurred. The absence of a consolidated, county-wide candidate list in the supplied materials means voters and civic groups do not yet have a single authoritative roster to guide voter education and outreach.

What comes next is local verification and publishing of the official candidate list by county election authorities. Voters should watch for the Dubois County Clerk’s office to confirm and publish the full slate for the May 5, 2026 primary so citizens can prepare for candidate forums, absentee or early voting periods, and primary-day turnout.