By Marilyn Odendahl
The Indiana Citizen
March 10, 2026
Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is establishing a new political party as he prepares to launch his campaign for Indiana secretary of state.
Ballard announced on March 3 that he was entering the secretary of state race as an independent. However, the campaign has recently announced that the former Republican mayor will be running as a candidate for the statewide office as a member of the newly formed Lincoln Party.
“Given that Abraham Lincoln spent his boyhood in Indiana, where he learned the values of unity, integrity, and bringing people together, the campaign felt ‘Lincoln Party’ was an appropriate name for this effort,” a statement from the campaign said.
Ballard has been championing his run as an independent. At the time of his candidacy announcement for secretary of state, he said the Democratic and Republican parties were broken, the political atmosphere had become “toxic” and having an “independent voice overseeing our elections” was essential.
“When voters truly have options, our elections are more competitive, our leaders are more accountable our government works better,” Ballard wrote in a column published March 9 by The Indianapolis Star. “And when good people know they can run – and win – without bending to the most radical voices in our state, more will step forward.”
To get on the ballot, he must collect 36,943 signatures from registered Indiana voters by June 30. The petition form that will be used to collect the names, addresses and signatures of those voters lists Ballard as a member of the Lincoln Party.
If Ballard gets 2% or more of the vote on Election Day, Nov. 3, he will open the door for others to run as Lincoln Party candidates in future elections without having to collect thousands of signatures. The statement from the Ballard campaign highlights that procedural benefit for other Hoosiers who want to seek public office but do not identify as either a Democrat or Republican, calling the signature requirement “onerous.”
As a Republican, Ballard led the state’s capital city after an upset win over Democrat incumbent Mayor Bart Peterson in 2007 and won a second term in 2011. He did not run for a third term and, instead, became a visiting fellow at the University of Indianapolis.
In his column, Ballard said he thought his time in public service had ended, but added “when you see something this broken and know you can fix it, you step forward.”
“During the past few years, I’ve met so many good people who want to step up and serve like I did, but don’t feel like they have a place in either party. Like me, they’re on the outside looking in,” he said.
But he added, “Under Indiana’s rules, our campaign for Secretary of State will unlock a place on the ballot for those good people beyond this year.”
Ballard is entering a crowded contest for secretary of state. Republican incumbent Diego Morales is vying for a second term, but he is facing challenges for the GOP nomination from David Shelton, who is the Knox County Circuit Court Clerk, and former gubernatorial candidate Jamie Reitenour. Also, Beau Bayh, son of former governor and senator Evan Bayh and Blythe Potter, U.S. Army veteran and small-business owner, are running for the Democratic nomination.
Dwight Adams, an editor and writer based in Indianapolis, edited this article. He is a former content editor, copy editor and digital producer at The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com, and worked as a planner for other newspapers, including the Louisville Courier Journal.
The Indiana Citizen is a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed and engaged Hoosier citizens. We are operated by the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. For questions about the story, contact Marilyn Odendahl at marilyn.odendahl@indianacitizen.org
