The county layer: a Democratic sweep, three chairs changing hands January 1 — FLAGGED

Election of November 3, 2026 · unofficial until the Election Board certifies; transitions effective January 1, 2027

The frame: St. Joseph County cast 77,909 ballots on November 3, 2026, a turnout of 40.17 percent, and Democrats won every county race on the ballot (South Bend Tribune, November 9, 2026). All figures below are the unofficial returns — the Clerk's precinct summary as compiled by St. Joe Current with all 211 precincts reporting, agreeing with WNDU's count — and county results become official only on the Election Board's certification, which had not been reported as of the search. Each winner who takes a new chair is printed as what he or she is in November 2026: the holder-elect. The chairs over Walkerton: Sheriff — Scott Ruszkowski (D), South Bend's police chief, defeated Rod Laureys (R) 47,951 to 28,674 (62.6 percent); Sheriff Bill Redman, term-limited, holds through December 31, 2026, and Ruszkowski takes the office January 1, 2027 — the county's police protection of Lincoln Township's unincorporated ground changes hands with him. Clerk of the Circuit Court — Stephanie Ball (D) defeated the incumbent Amy Rolfes (R) 43,737 to 32,422 (57.4 percent); Rolfes holds through December 31, and the office that keeps this build's settling election records changes hands January 1, 2027. Auditor — Autumn Kaylor (D) defeated Abby Doyle (R) 43,708 to 32,407. Prosecutor — Amy Cressy (D), 45,438 to John Maciejczyk's 30,868: a Democrat succeeds in the office that prosecutes the town's felonies, the Seals charges among them (the Crime leg's custody). Assessor — Victor Cummings (D) stands confirmed, 42,936 to Mike Castellon's 33,280, as the Government leg banked the race. Commissioners — the District 1 seat was decided: Bill Redman (D) defeated Carl Baxmeyer (R) 16,735 to 11,924, and Redman takes that seat January 1, 2027 as he leaves the sheriff's office — printed at pointer size here, because Walkerton does not vote in District 1 (its own commissioner district stands unsettled between Districts 2 and 3 as GAP-WKGOV-6, flagged in the Government leg; the District 2 and 3 holders, Rafael Morton and Anthony Hazen on the commissioners' August 26, 2025 agenda, stand as that record left them). County Council — the districts decided November 3 (A: Hamann; B: Rohatgi; C: Cervelli; E: Camp; H: Tanner) flipped the council's control from 5–4 Republican to 7–2 Democratic on the Government leg's accounting; Walkerton's letter district stands unsettled with its commissioner district. Congress — in the Second District, Rudy Yakym (R) held the seat districtwide, 99,148 to Jamee Decio's 89,173, though Decio led St. Joseph County itself 59.4 percent; Walkerton votes with the district, not the county, on that line.

Sources

1. St. Joe Current, 2026 general election results from the Clerk's precinct summary (all 211 precincts; unofficial, certification pending) — the county counts.
2. WNDU election returns, November 2026 — the agreeing count, race by race.
3. South Bend Tribune, November 9, 2026 — the turnout (77,909 ballots, 40.17 percent) and the sweep.
4. This build's Government leg — the layer as banked, against which the moves are flagged.