Why Devon Wellington Is Running for Indiana State House District 29

A doorbell, three neighbor kids, and the moment I realized what we're fighting for.

I was on the phone with an old childhood friend last summer when my doorbell rang for the third time in our conversation.

"Hold on," I said, answering the door to another neighbor kid asking if mine could come out to play.

When I got back on the phone, my friend laughed in disbelief. "Where do you live?!"

She meant it as a genuine question. In her world, kids don't just show up at each other's doors anymore. Parents schedule playdates weeks in advance. Children don't roam the neighborhood in packs, calling out "CAR!" when someone slowly pulls down the street.

But here in Noblesville? That's just Tuesday.

This is exactly what my family wanted when we chose Hamilton County three and a half years ago. We'd been visiting family here for a decade, getting more and more experience with this community, and knew it  was special. When we finally made Noblesville home, it wasn't just about good schools or low crime statistics, though those mattered. It was about something harder to quantify: the peace of mind that lets your kids explore their own neighborhood.

That doorbell moment crystallized everything for me. This is what we're fighting to preserve.

When the Policy Expert’s Bat Signal Started Beeping

I've spent my career in education policy. I earned a graduate degree studying how community resources and policy decisions impact children's futures. I interned at the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. I learned to read legislation the way some people read novels: seeing not just what's written, but what's conspicuously absent, and who benefits.

So when the sweeping property tax reform bill, SEA 1, started moving through the Indiana statehouse, my policy-honed instincts kicked in immediately. 

Take SEA 1, the property tax reform bill. Yes, property taxes had jumped in 2024—COVID-era housing shortages drove property values through the roof. But SEA 1's permanent caps were short-sighted: lock in limits based on an inflated market, and when property values level out, we're left with even less funding for our schools, police, and fire departments. Hamilton County voters have routinely approved local tax increases because we understand what quality education and public safety are worth. SEA 1 strips that local decision-making power away from us.

Then came universal vouchers: a policy that siphons public dollars away from the neighborhood schools that are the backbone of our communities.

Then the culture-war legislation: bills trying to mandate the Ten Commandments in classrooms while the Supreme Court is still reviewing whether such laws are even constitutional. Our taxpayer dollars, wasted on political theater instead of actual governance.

I watched a pattern emerge. Bill after bill claimed to champion "local control" and "small government"...interesting rhetoric from a party that kept passing broad state-level regulations that stripped away our community's ability to make decisions for ourselves.

The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back: Noblesville Voters Ignored

In November of 2024, District 29 voters had made their voices heard in the school board election race: there was a self-selected partisan ticket, and a non-partisan ticket. Noblesville voters chose a non-partisan school board. The message was clear: we wanted our school board focused on educating our kids, not playing partisan politics.

So when legislation was introduced at the statehouse to make all school board races partisan, it seemed like an easy vote for our representative. We had already told her what we wanted, loud and clear, at the ballot box. But I thought I'd reach out anyway, just to make sure she heard us. 

By this point, I'd been trying to reach our state representative for four months. I reached out even before she was sworn in, introducing myself as a constituent with education policy expertise, asking her to please represent ALL of us in District 29, regardless of party affiliation. She wrote back a kind note saying she intended to do exactly that.

That was the last I heard from her. Not about the school board bill. Not about any of the education legislation moving through committee. No office hours, no returned calls. The only response I got was from an intern who assured me he would call back to schedule a time for a conversation, and that only happened after I reminded him that I would be happy to find her at the next district-level event and approach her for an unscheduled face-to-face.

In April 2025, she voted to make school board elections partisan, directly contradicting what her constituents had just chosen. She's voted the party line on every single vote since taking office. Our schools aren't just where our kids learn; they're our community's largest shared investment and the foundation of our quality of life (not to mention property values). 

I couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore.

What We're Really Fighting For in District 29

Some people call common-sense local solutions "radical" these days, but here's the truth: sound property tax laws, quality schools, and safe neighborhoods aren't partisan issues. They're what unite us as Noblesville and Fishers residents, regardless of the letter after our names. Most of us agree on what matters most. We want fully funded public schools where our kids learn and grow. We want affordable housing so the teachers, nurses, and small business owners who make our community work can actually afford to live here. We want our local elected officials to have the power to make decisions that reflect our community's values, not dictates handed down from a statehouse supermajority that's forgotten who they work for.

The extremism isn't coming from families who want these things. It's coming from legislators who vote against their own constituents' clearly expressed preferences.

As a small business owner working out of my home in Noblesville, I've seen firsthand how policy decisions ripple through our economy. I grew my e-commerce business 3.5 times year over year until federal tariff policies made the market so unpredictable I had to pause operations. I know what it's like when lawmakers prioritize corporate interests and political games over the working families and local businesses that actually drive our economy.

I've served on three Noblesville district-level committees because I don’t allow myself to complain about something, unless I’m willing to do the work involved in being part of the solution. I've helped families navigate complex special education services because everyone deserves an advocate. I've built a business, raised kids, and paid close attention to what's happening in our statehouse, not because I ever planned to run for office, but because I care about this community and the future we're building together.

This Campaign is About All of Us

A lot of people in District 29 feel isolated right now. You might think you're the only one frustrated by what's happening in Indianapolis. You might feel like your voice doesn't matter when one party has a supermajority.

You're not alone. Your voice matters. And we deserve a state representative who actually listens.

I'm running for Indiana State House in District 29 because I have the Character to Lead and the Courage to Act on what our community truly needs. I know how to read legislation, spot the political games, and craft evidence-based solutions. More importantly, I know how to listen; something our current representative seems to have forgotten how to do.

This campaign is about preserving what makes Noblesville, Fishers, and Hamilton County special: neighbors helping neighbors, excellent public schools, real opportunity for everyone, and kids who still ring doorbells asking if your children can come out to play.

That's worth fighting for.

Ready to join us? 

The Democratic primary is May 5, 2026. Volunteer with our campaign, make a donation, or simply stay connected as we build this movement together. Every voice matters. Especially yours.

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Devon Wellington is running for Indiana State House Representative in District 29, serving Noblesville, Fishers, and Hamilton County. Learn more about her platform on education, affordability, and opportunity.