Putnam County, Indiana

Indiana House District 44

2 candidates are tracked for Indiana House District 44 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Kelsey Kauffman and Beau Baird. Candidate information follows official Putnam County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Kelsey Kauffman (Democratic), Beau Baird (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Indiana House District 44; Beau Baird is the sitting member, per the General Assembly caucus rosters. Democratic and Republican nominees were chosen at the May 5 primary; Libertarian nominees at the party's convention. The field is the Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list (updated August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Beau Baird, is on the ballot.

Indiana › Putnam County › Indiana House District 44

Kelsey Kauffman

Democratic

Top priorities

Supports public school funding
Supports keeping rural hospitals open and expanding mental health services
Supports affordable housing and addressing rising costs for working families

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Kelsey Kauffman is the Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 44, covering Putnam and Montgomery counties. She holds a doctorate in education from Harvard and has lived in Greencastle since 1987, per her campaign site. Kauffman founded the Greencastle Summer Enrichment Program for low income children and taught at DePauw University and in Indiana prison education programs, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Beau Baird

Republican Incumbent

Biography

Beau Baird is the Republican incumbent for Indiana House District 44, serving since 2018 and chairing the House Environmental Affairs Committee, per Indiana House Republicans. He is a lifelong Putnam County resident who owns and operates Baird Ranch and serves as chief financial officer of Indiana Home Care Plus, per Indiana House Republicans. No campaign website was found as of September 21, 2026.

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Indiana House District 44 in 2026?

When is the Indiana House District 44 election in Indiana?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Indiana are on the Indiana election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Putnam County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Putnam County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Indiana election office, or see the full Putnam County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Putnam County ballot

1 tracked race in Putnam County, Indiana. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

See all 1 Putnam County race

Candidate profiles

Kelsey Kauffman, full profile Beau Baird, full profile Official Indiana election office