Independent Shane Evans has won Delphi’s mayoral election, garnering more votes than the Democratic and Republican candidate combined. The election makes the paralegal only the third Independent mayor in the state, after Bedford mayor Shawna Girgis and Mitchell mayor-elect J.D. England.
Evans says in a town such as Delphi, with fewer than 3,000 residents, he doesn’t think his party affiliation had much to do with the election results:
"The people Of this community know who’s running, as opposed to maybe some of the larger cities around the state," he says. "I don’t think in Delphi it matters to much what the party is, because we have an intimate and familiar relationship with the candidates."
Evans says he probably benefited from the results of the mayoral primary, in which incumbent Republican Randy Strasser lost to challenger Jack Wilson by only ten votes.
At 25, Evans also becomes one of the youngest mayors in Indiana, making him one of the youngest city leaders in the state.
Evans garnered 321 votes -- more than his two opponents, Jack Wilson and Louis Hayden, combined.
The Delphi native says his age had an effect on residents used to seeing 20-somethings flee the small Carroll County community.
"They see a lot of young people moving into Lafayette or Indianapolis," says Evans "They just want to see people move back to where they can raise their families, go to school here, continue the tradition."
Evans says he looked to Frankfort mayor Chris McBarnes, who was only 23 when he was elected in 2011.
"Older voters can see that a young man can do it in the city of Frankfort and that can translate here, but people want to see an energy," he says.
Evans ran on a platform of economic development and neighborhood revitalization. The paralegal is currently studying to re-take the bar exam.
