INDIANAPOLIS – Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard thought his career in politics was over.
Recent events, however, have convinced Ballard to seek public office once again. He’s launching a bid for Indiana Secretary of State as an independent, a move that would add him to a field that includes Republican incumbent Diego Morales and presumptive Democratic challenger Beau Bayh.
In a video announcing his candidacy, Ballard was deeply critical of the partisan divisions typical of today’s political climate.
“I ran as a Republican, but I governed for everyone,” Ballard said in the video. “Today, things are different. Both political parties are broken and we’re the ones paying the price.”
Ballard said the political atmosphere has become “toxic.” In such an environment, he said it’s important to have an independent voice overseeing elections. He criticized the “current leadership” of the office, saying it “had shown an eagerness to engage in partisan politics.” He was referring to Morales.
The former Indianapolis mayor outlined two core purposes for his campaign: ensuring independent oversight of Indiana’s elections and opening the ballot to future candidates who do not feel at home in either party.
“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,” Ballard said. “Like me, they’re on the outside looking in.”
Ballard served two terms as mayor of Indianapolis. He spent 23 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
A poll from Independent Indiana conducted from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1, 2025, measured a potential three-way race involving Morales, Bayh and Ballard.
The poll showed Ballard was competitive in the race at 23.8%,, trailing Bayh (31.5%) by about eight points and Morales (28.5) by about five points. The poll indicated that 16.3% of voters were undecided.
“I will not be the Republican or Democratic Secretary of State,” Ballard said. “I will be your Secretary of State.”
Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian The Indiana Democratic Party responded to the announcement with a statement:.
“Even Republicans are embarrassed by Diego Morales. From spending our tax dollars on luxury SUVs, hiring his brother-in-law into the office with a 6-figure salary, handing out bonuses, and giving out more no-bid contracts than any other official in state history, Morales has been an embarrassment in every way. It is time for him to go.
“In normal times, a lifelong Republican like Ballard would challenge Morales at their convention, but these are not normal times. Running another Republican as an Independent is a waste of time, money, and effort better spent defeating Diego Morales at the ballot box and electing a new leader to deliver for the people of Indiana.”
Beau Bayh, a Democrat running for secretary of state, also released a statement:
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.“As a fellow Marine, I appreciate Greg Ballard’s service to our country and his service to the City of Indianapolis. This race is a referendum on Diego Morales’s tenure as Secretary of State and we are building the only campaign that can defeat him, put an end to the blatant corruption, and restore the office to all Hoosiers.”
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