Indianapolis hosts the 2026 State Democratic Convention on Saturday at the Indiana Marriott Downtown and Indiana Convention Center, where delegates from all 92 counties will make some important decisions.
These include electing representation to state convention committees and discussing the 2026 Indiana Democratic Party Platform. Delegates will also select the 2026 Democratic nominees for secretary of state, state treasurer and state comptroller.
But aside from party business, the convention builds camaraderie, said Annette Craycraft, deputy chair for rules and state convention for the Indiana Democrats.
“People get together, there’s a dinner the night before, and so it just builds a lot of enthusiasm for the party and gets everybody ramped up and excited for the upcoming months to prepare for the big election,” she said.
Caucus meetings, like the Indiana Young Democrats, the Democratic African American Caucus and the Federation of Democratic Women, will meet as well.
“All the district offices are making a great opportunity for Democrats to gather people from across the state,” said Sam Barloga, communications director for the Indiana Democrats.
Indiana Democrats reported 2,560 delegates for 2026 — 2,140 of those were elected and the rest automatically appointed due to their status as county chair, county vice chair, county treasurer or county secretary.
Barloga said during the last major convention in 2022, the offices for secretary of state, state treasurer and state comptroller were contested. That’s not the case this year.
The candidates for two offices — Jessica Bailey for state comptroller and Coumba Kebe for state treasurer — will be officially nominated at the convention with no challengers.
The race for secretary of state is a little more interesting. Blythe Potter, a U.S. Army veteran, faces Beau Bayh, whose father and grandfather both served as U.S. senators. The Bayh family is sometimes referred to as a political dynasty. Both candidates may represent a generational shift in the Democratic Party. Blythe is in her early 40s while Bayh recently turned 30.
“I’m hearing a lot of enthusiasm throughout our delegation on, you know, both sides, and we’re just all excited,” Craycraft said. “There’s been a lot of buildup.”
The 2026 Indiana State Republican Convention starts on June 19 in Fort Wayne.