Indiana Primary May 5: Full Slate of Contests for Dubois County Voters

Dubois County voters will decide races for U.S. representative, state Senate and state House on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, with the Secretary of State’s February 3, 2026 Primary Candidates report listing a contested Eighth District field and multiple state contests. The county’s ballot is described as a “full slate” of federal, state and local contests, and the state Election Division’s calendar confirms the May 5 primary date.

The Eighth District U.S. Representative race on the Feb. 3 candidate report shows Republican Mark Messmer and four Democratic candidates: Mary Allen, Mario Foradori, Christopher Rector and Tabitha Zeigler. Voters in Dubois County who live in the Eighth District will see those names on primary ballots unless filings change after Feb. 3.

State-level contests on the candidate list include State Senate District 48, where Bradley Hochgesang (D) faces Daryl Schmitt (R), and State Representative District 63, where Kelly M. Zehr (R) and Jerry Allstott (D) are listed. Those district assignments and party labels are taken from the same Feb. 3 candidate report and local postings compiled by party and county sources.

A separate block of Republican names appears in local candidate listings without a specified office: Mark Kieffner; Larry Gene Hall; Travis Blake Vonderheide; Marvin Gene Eisenhut; Allie Gress; Eric D. Jochim. That set of names appears in Dubois County reporting but the office or offices they seek is not identified in the excerpts supplied. Reporters and election officials should verify each name against the Indiana Election Division candidate roster to assign the correct race or races before publishing a precinct-by-precinct sample ballot.

Election administration guidance for Dubois County is clear: voters may cast ballots during early voting or on Election Day at their designated polling location. Dubois County Clerk Amy Kippenbrock said, “This election represents an important opportunity for voters to choose strong leadership at every level of government,” Kippenbrock stated. “We encourage everyone to make their voice heard.” Voters should check the state’s Indiana Voters portal for polling locations, voter registration status and early voting hours, and contact the county elections office for any precinct changes.

The Dubois County Democratic Party provides voter and candidate instructions in local copy, asking, “Do you know your Precinct and which districts you are in?” The party also outlines filing expectations and party rules: “The most common requirements for running for office is being a registered voter in Indiana and living in the district for said office. The next common requirement is living in that district for 1 to 2 years. To run as a Democrat, the primary requirement involves your vote in your last 2 Indiana Primaries on your voting record. You need to have voted on the Democrat ballot in the last 2 Primaries you voted. If you did not, you will have to contact the Dubois County Democrat Party Chairman, Dennis Tedrow, for permission to run as a Democrat. You can reach him at our party email address or the form at the bottom of this page.” The party lists its contact email as duboiscountydemocraticparty@gmail.com and notes its candidate list is “based on the February 3rd, 2026 Primary Candidates report from the Secretary of State’s office” and “updated daily on work days.”

For local context, Ballotpedia reproduces U.S. Census figures showing Dubois County’s population at 43,637 and land area at 427 square miles. Ballotpedia’s demographic and economic extracts include a white population share of 93.6 percent, a median household income of $62,846 and 8.9 percent of persons below the poverty level; the site attributes population data to the 2020 Decennial Census and other figures to the American Community Survey 2015-2020.

Before finalizing precinct-level ballots, newsrooms and election officials must confirm any candidate withdrawals or office assignments since Feb. 3, 2026, obtain the county’s early voting schedule and voter-registration deadline, and cross-check the unidentified Republican candidate block against the Indiana Election Division’s current candidate report and Dubois County Clerk Amy Kippenbrock’s office.