Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears begins 2026 reelection campaign, signaling focus on violent crime and corruption

Campaign filing follows Statehouse announcement and clarifies Mears’ plans for the 2026 election

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears has launched his 2026 reelection bid, filing to seek another term as the county’s top prosecutor and using a January 27, 2026, Statehouse appearance to outline his priorities for the year ahead. The move also addresses ongoing speculation about whether Mears would pursue another local office; he indicated he intends to remain in the prosecutor’s role rather than pivot to a different campaign in the near term.

Mears took office in 2019, after being selected through a party caucus process following the midterm resignation of then-Prosecutor Terry Curry, who stepped down to focus on health and family while undergoing cancer treatment. Mears later won election to a full term, and his current reelection effort positions him to remain in office through the next term if successful.

What Mears says will define the next term

At the Statehouse, Mears said his administration’s work will continue to center on prosecuting violent crime and pursuing public-corruption cases. He also pointed to pending activity tied to investigations that have been underway for roughly the past 18 months, signaling that additional filings are expected during 2026.

The prosecutor’s office plays a central role in public safety outcomes but operates within a system shared with police agencies, courts, public defense, and corrections. As a result, campaign claims about crime reduction are often intertwined with broader questions about staffing, charging decisions, court timelines, and detention capacity.

Record and policies that have shaped the office since 2019

• Low-level marijuana charging: In 2019, Mears announced the office would stop criminally prosecuting possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, with stated exceptions in certain circumstances such as cases involving trafficking, impaired driving, public use, or underage defendants.

• Conviction Integrity Unit: The office moved to establish a Conviction Integrity Unit in early 2021, describing it as the first of its kind in Indiana, aimed at fact-based reviews of prior convictions and preventing wrongful convictions through training and best practices.

Broader political backdrop ahead of Election Day

Mears’ reelection campaign begins amid renewed debate over public safety in Indianapolis and the role of prosecutorial policies in violence trends. State leaders have publicly weighed in on whether state intervention is warranted in Marion County, while the prosecutor’s office has defended its performance and highlighted case volumes and conviction rates in serious-crime categories.

With the reelection filing now public, the 2026 race for prosecutor is expected to draw closer attention to charging standards, trial readiness, and how the office prioritizes violent-crime, gun, and corruption investigations.

Marion County voters will decide the prosecutor’s race as part of the 2026 general election.