Northeast Indiana's 2023 municipal election results-Tom Henry wins 5th term as Fort Wayne mayor
WBOI will be providing access to unofficial election results throughout this evening after polls close at 6 p.m.
Please tune in from 8 to 10 p.m. tonight for live coverage with WBOI's Zach Bernard.
We will provide updates to the races here as they become available.
10:00 p.m.
Tune into Morning Edition Wednesday for the latest on election results from Northeast Indiana and around the state.
8:55 p.m.
Outside of Fort Wayne, there were a few contested races in the municipal elections in the smaller communities in Allen and other Northeast Indiana counties.
In Huntington, incumbent Independent Mayor Richard Strick held onto his seat, defeating Republican Rob Hollinger, at 53.9% to 46%, according to unofficial results. Voter turnout was at about 31%.
Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel, a Republican, easily defeated his Democrat challenger Steve Schmitt, with more than 76% of the vote. Voter turnout in Whitley County was estimated at about 23%.
Results were not immediately available for races in Kendallville and Angola.
8:30 p.m.
The Allen County Election has sent their final tally of unofficial results for the 2023 Municipal Election.
Voter turnout was about 24% and there were 49,847 ballots cast in 219 precincts.
In the City of Fort Wayne, Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, a Democrat, held onto his seat against challenger Republican City Councilman Tom Didier in a much-tighter race than the last election. Henry garnered nearly 52% of the votes to Didier's 48%.
In contested city council races, Republican Marty Bender was elected to the an at-large seat, joining incumbents Republican Tom Freistroffer and Democrat Michelle Chambers. Incumbent Republicans Paul Ensley and Russ Jehl held onto their seats in the 1st and 2nd districts respectively.
In a contested 4th-district race, a seat vacated by Republican Jason Arp, Republican Scott Myers defeated Democrat Patti Hays, 54% to 45.6%.
8:18 p.m.
Fort Wayne's City Council is shaping up to have a Republican 6-3 majority, according to unofficial results.
An open At-Large seat was snagged by former councilman and well-known Fort Wayne Deputy Police Chief Marty Bender. Republicans Tom Freistroffer (at-large), Paul Ensley (1st) and Russ Jehl, (2nd) held onto their seats.
An open 4th district seat was snagged by Republican Scott Myers, who defeated Democrat Patti Hays 54% to 45%.
8:10 p.m.
FWCS school officials, including Superintendent Mark Daniel watched election results come in at the local Acme Bar.
According to unofficial results, the FWCS SAFER referendum has passed with a vote of 53% to 46%.
8:06 p.m.
WBOI's Tony Sandleben has confirmed that Republican Tom Didier has conceded to Mayor Tom Henry, giving the mayor the historic fifth term.
8:02 p.m.
With just one precinct left to go, incumbent Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry appears to be staving off Republican City Councilman Tom Didier, at 51.88% to 48.12%
If Henry's lead holds, according to unofficial results, he will take the seat for a historic fifth term.
7:58 p.m.
Outside of Allen County, incumbent Huntington Mayor Richard Strick, an independent, appears to have hung onto his seat.
According to unofficial results, Strick pulled in nearly 54% of the vote to Republican challenger's Rob Hollinger's 46%.
In the race for Huntington City Common Council At-Large, Republicans PJ Felton, an incumbent, and Andrew Rensberger defeated independent Megan Bonbrake.
7:50 p.m.
According to the Allen County Election Board, only 13 precincts have yet to be counted, and the race for Fort Wayne's top executive is just that: a race.
Incumbent Democrat Tom Henry is sitting at 52%, with Republican City Councilman Tom Didier inching closer at 47.8%
So far, voter turnout is at 22.4%, according to the unofficial results.
Out in the smaller communities, Democrat Bobbi Elston is winning in the race for the open Monroeville Clerk Treasurer,'s seat pulling in 76% of the vote to Republican Kyle Palm's 23%.
7:30 p.m.
Republican Councilman Tom Didier is eating into Mayor Tom Henry's lead with 162 of the 219 precincts reported.
According to unofficial results from the Allen County Election Board, Didier has 47.35% to Henry's 52.65%.
In the race for Council At-large, the top three candidates receiving votes are Democrat Michelle Chambers, and Republicans Marty Bender and Tom Freistroffer.
Chambers and Freistroffer are incumbents, and Bender has served on the council before.
7:16 p.m.
Ninety-four precincts have been reported so far, according to the Allen County Election Board.
With the release of the latest information, Councilman Didier pulled to just under 47% of the vote, to Mayor Henry's 53%.
There were 421 voting machines programmed in Allen County for today. Of those, 204 have been reported.
7:02 p.m.
The latest update from the Allen County Election Board shows Mayor Tom Henry up 55% over Republican City Councilman Tom Didier, who has garnered 44% of the ballots in unofficial results.
Fort Wayne Clerk-Treasurer Lana Keesling, a Republican, is up 51% to 48% over Democrat challenger Porsche Williams.
The FWCS SAFER referendum is steady at 55% yes.
6:16 p.m.
Polls have closed here in northeast Indiana, and the Allen County Election Board has sent out an early update reflecting early voting totals.
Of those 15,293 ballots counted so far, Democrat incumbent Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry is leading Republican City Councilman Tom Didier, 57% to 42%.
The Fort Wayne Community School's SAFER referendum has polled at 56% yes. More information about the referendum can be found here.