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Max Engling

Republican candidate for Secretary of State, Indiana · Open seat

Former senior advisor to U.S. Sen. Jim Banks; former congressional staffer

Max Engling is the Republican nominee for Indiana Secretary of State and lives in Cicero, in Hamilton County. He was working as a senior advisor to U.S. Sen. Jim Banks when he entered the race on May 20, 2026. On June 20, 2026, he won the nomination on the second ballot at the Indiana Republican convention, where Knox County Clerk David Shelton finished second and incumbent Diego Morales finished third.

Where Engling stands

Voter eligibility / citizenship verification: Says only U.S. citizens should vote in Indiana elections. Proposes verifying voter eligibility and sending evidence of possible violations to prosecutors, and says he would work with Attorney General Todd Rokita to enforce election laws.
Closed primaries: Supports closed primaries, which he says would protect the integrity of the Republican nomination process.
Election transparency: Proposes a "Transparency Portal" where citizens could report possible election issues directly.
Business filing fraud: Proposes screening business filings for shell companies that register identical LLCs, which he says are used to defraud customers, avoid regulation and employ unsafe truck drivers.
Business regulation: Proposes cutting regulations he describes as onerous for small businesses and streamlining the office's business services.

Background

Republican nominee for Indiana Secretary of State, chosen at the state GOP convention on June 20, 2026
Senior advisor to U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) until the 2026 campaign
Ran in the 2024 Republican primary for Indiana's 5th Congressional District and received nearly 10% of the vote
Worked at Beck's Hybrids on an agricultural education initiative
Staff member on the U.S. House Administration Committee, which oversees federal election administration; later a senior staff member in House leadership
Worked for a small business in Indiana after college
B.A., IUPUI; M.A. in National Defense and Strategic Planning (as a civilian), U.S. Naval War College
Lives in Cicero, Indiana; married with four children

In the news

Engling, Bayh duel over key differences in secretary of state race Indiana Capital Chronicle, October 22, 2026
Bayh, Engling trade blows during FOX59/CBS4 Sec. of State debate FOX59, October 22, 2026
2026 Voter Guide: Indiana Secretary of State WFYI, September 23, 2026

Also running for Secretary of State

Beau Bayh Democratic
Lauri A. Shillings Libertarian
Greg Ballard Lincoln

Sources

Last researched October 23, 2026. Written in neutral language from the sources above. Spot an error? See how to report it.