Muncie mayor decides not to seek third term

The current Muncie mayor says he won’t run for a third term, choosing to retire when his current service is up at the end of 2027.

Republican Dan Ridenour began his first term in 2020, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the country and the world.

His service followed the tenure of a mayor that had been arrested by the FBI while leading the city and eventually served time in federal prison.

Ridenour took a leave of absence this summer to have surgery for prostate cancer.

In a press release sent to the Star Press, Ridenour said he “pondered, prayed, sought guidance from others” on his decision and originally wanted to announce when he returned in July.  He said he was announcing after presenting the city’s budget for 2027 in recent weeks.

Ridenour did not send the press release directly to IPR.  When asked by email, city communications director Amber Greene replied, “You didn’t receive anything because I did not send anything. Mayor Ridenour wanted to announce his retirement directly to a couple local outlets first, which is likely where you are seeing the reports now.”

In 2024, Ridenour won a re-election challenge by less than 500 votes from the then-Muncie City Council president.  In both of his campaigns, he’s run on what he described at his first swearing-in as “open, and honest, and transparent government.”

In his time in office, Ridenour has championed building new housing in the city; spending money on parks and Prairie Creek Reservoir; and trying to save the Muncie Mall, before it began to be demolished this year.

Ridenour ended his statement by saying “Serving Muncie as Mayor has been the honor of my life.”

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.