Senator Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington), who represents large portions of Bloomington and Monroe County in the Indiana Statehouse, will lead her Democratic Senate colleagues in the upcoming legislative session.
Voted in by the state’s minority caucus this week, she will be the party’s principal speaker during debates on the Senate floor and coordinate its legislative agenda.
The minority caucus initially elected Senator Greg Taylor (D-Indianapolis). But it ousted him from the leadership role in favor of Yoder after multiple women accused Taylor of sexual harassment.
Yoder was first elected to the Indiana Senate for District 40 in 2020. She is a lecturer at IU’s Kelley School of Business.
Read more: Indiana Senate Democrats oust Taylor as leader after more harassment allegations, elect Yoder
Yoder has authored bills on childcare funding, wetland assessment, lead and waterline replacement, and mental health.
Democrats hold only 10 of Indiana’s 50 Senate seats. The supermajority means Indiana’s 40 Republican senators can conduct business, like passing bills, without the minority party present.
In a Wednesday statement, Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) said:
“Our counterparts in the Senate Minority have traditionally added value to the legislative process, and I expect that trend to continue. I look forward to working with Sen. Yoder in her new leadership position as we work to improve our state for all Hoosiers.”
According to the Center for American Women and Politics, 27 percent of Indiana’s Senate and House seats are held by women, ranking 39 th nationally.
