BLOOMINGTON – Sarah Larson has filed candidacy paperwork and provided a statement in support of his candidacy to fill the office of Monroe County Councilperson at Large.
Eligible Precinct Committeepersons will gather at the Nat U. Hill Room of the Monroe County Courthouse on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 1 p.m. to vote in caucus to appoint pro tempore a candidate for this vacancy.
MCDP will only share statements by those candidates who have filed their paperwork with the Party Secretary.
Greetings everyone! My name is Sarah Larson, and I respectfully wish to submit my candidacy for the Monroe County Council At-Large seat that is vacant after longtime Councilwoman Munson’s passing. Although I never had the opportunity to meet Councilwoman Munson, I hope to honor her legacy as a newer face, ready to lead Monroe County into the future.
Although I am new to county government and civil service, I am not new to Monroe County and have lived in Monroe County for most of my life. I am a born and raised Hoosier, my family moved to Monroe County when I was a baby, and I had the pleasure of growing up here. This community helped shape me into the person I am today, through public education with MCCSC. I graduated from Bloomington High School South and then went on to Purdue University, where I graduated with a degree in Public Health in 2012. After college, I moved to Reno, NV, to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA for a local nonprofit bicycle organization.
In 2016, my heart longed to be back in my Indiana home, so I moved back to Monroe County. I began working at Indiana University, and eventually, I began my Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at IU while working full-time. After working at IU for five years, I started working at the Monroe County Health Department, which provided me with work experience that helped me graduate with my MPH in 2022. Around the time of my graduation, I began working remotely for a state-wide nonprofit, the Indiana Rural Health Association. At the Indiana Rural Health Association, I work to address health issues for hospitals and organizations around the state.
Outside of my professional life, I also serve on the Monroe County Substance Use Disorder Awareness Commission (2022-present) and have served on the Bicycle Indiana Board of Directors (2022-2024) and the Indiana Kentucky Cycling Association (2020-2024). I am an avid cyclist and race in regional and national-level events. My husband and I were married at the Monroe County Courthouse eight years ago, and we have two spoiled dogs, Chauncey and Clara.
I have volunteered for the 2022 Penny Githens Indiana House of Representatives District 62 campaign and the 2024 Thomas Horrocks Indiana House of Representatives District 62 campaign. Volunteering for these campaigns and seeing the vital importance of local and state politics left an impact on me and has pushed me to run for county council at large.
I do not have a wealth of institutional knowledge or a lifetime of experiences that others might have. As a newcomer, I will not be able to replace the years of service and experience that Cheryl Munson provided. However, I am ready to serve, and I want to give back to my hometown community that has given so much to me. This county is facing a time of growth and change, and I plan to take that head on and look for the opportunities to help folks to not only survive, but to THRIVE.
I want to focus on supporting public education, improving county infrastructure beyond city limits, address issues that impact health and well-being, and fiscal responsibility that also supports the folks who call this home.
I love my home community, and I chose to return to it because I believe Monroe County is truly special. If chosen for this position, I will use my knowledge and skills to ensure this community grows and improves and still be the place we love and call our home. Thank you!
For more information, visit https://www.monroedems.org/vacancy-caucus-mccal.
