Incumbent Monroe County Prosecutor Erika Oliphant won the Democratic primary Tuesday, defeating Benjamin Arrington with 72 percent of the vote.

"I feel very grateful that so many people had faith in me to refer me to office," Oliphant said. "I was pretty confident going into today that this was going to be the result, but I am glad to be right."

No Republican filed in the race.

Oliphant served as Deputy Prosecutor for nine years before becoming county prosecutor in 2019. She grew up on an organic farm in Versailles, Ind., and attended Indiana University for her undergraduate and JD degrees.

During her time as County prosecutor, Oliphant more than doubled the amount of grant funding for the prosecution of domestic violent and sex crimes. She founded and maintains the Monroe County High Tech Crime Unit and helped develop pre-arrest diversion through the Stride Crisis Center for low level offenses committed by individuals suffering mental health or substance use crises.

Oliphant said she aims to reserve incarceration for violent and repeat offenders, expand prosecution and conviction alternatives where mental illness and substance use played a factor, and reduce strain on the jail.

"I've lived here for 27 years, and I really love this community, and it means a lot to me that I get to help make it a better place for everybody," she said.