Indiana's thirty-first state senate district is represented by Republican Senator James Merritt, Jr.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 130,555 civilians reside within Indiana's thirty-first state senate district. Indiana state senators represent an average of 129,676 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 121,610 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Indiana State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Indiana legislators assume office the day after their general election.

Qualifications

To be eligible to serve in the Indiana State Senate a candidate must be:

• A United States citizen at the time of election
• Have resided in the state for at least two years and in the senate district for at least one year before the election
• Be at least twenty-five (25) years old upon taking office;
• Registered to vote in the election district the person seeks to represent not later than the deadline for filing the declaration or petition of candidacy or certificate of nomination

Salaries

Pensions

Indiana legislators created a 401(k) plan for themselves in 1989, becoming the first in the nation to do so. Lawmakers who took office after April 1989 were ineligible for the traditional pension plan, receiving the individual retirement account instead.

Legislators pay 5% of their annual salary into the 401(k). In 2007, they voted to include per diem allowances, expense payments and leadership stipends into the calculation, thus raising their retirement accounts.

Vacancies

Whenever there is a vacancy in the senate, the state committee of a political party must appoint a replacement. The appointee selected by the state committee is contingent upon the approval of the state party chairperson. A special election is only allowed if the vacant seat is left by an independent.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Indiana State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for May 5, 2020. The filing deadline is February 7, 2020.

2018

2014

Elections for the Indiana State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2014. Incumbent James W. Merritt, Jr. defeated Crystal D. LaMotte in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.

Indiana State Senate, District 31 Republican Primary, 2014

2010

Elections for the office of Indiana State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 4, 2010, and a general election on November 2, 2010. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 19, 2010. Incumbent James Merritt, Jr. (R) defeated Frank Anderson (D) and Benjamin Hale (L) in the general election. Merritt and Anderson were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Indiana State Senate, District 31, General Election, 2010

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Indiana State Senate District 31 raised a total of $1,701,442. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $141,787 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Indiana State Senate District 31