Chris Bultman

A new Indiana law allowing school board candidates to run under political parties has led to challenges against two Indianapolis Public Schools candidates, Lindsey Cornett and Chris Bultman, who may be disqualified due to conflicting legal requirements about their Democratic affiliation. The law requires candidates to have voted in their chosen party's last two primary elections, but records show both candidates only voted in the 2026 primary, not the 2024 one.

Chris Bultman was appointed to the Indianapolis Public Schools Board of Commissioners to represent District 4, winning a 5-1 vote. He replaces Allissa Impink, who resigned after winning a state Senate primary, and will serve until January when a new representative is sworn in. Bultman, who works for a charter school organization, faces concerns about potential conflicts of interest, while his opponent in the November election, Lindsey Cornett, was initially denied ballot access due to filing deadline confusion.

The Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) school board interviewed two applicants, Chris Bultman and Lindsey Cornett, for a District 4 vacancy. Both candidates plan to run for the seat in the November election, which will fill the position left vacant by Allissa Impink's resignation. The appointee will serve until January 2025, when the elected member takes office, and will join the board during a critical period involving school board elections and a potential tax referendum.

Fourteen candidates are competing for five seats on the Indianapolis Public Schools board, with notable contenders including a charter school advocate and an Indiana Democratic Party leader. The election follows structural changes, including the creation of the mayor-appointed Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, which holds key powers over school funding and governance.