INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis City-County Councilor Vop Osili announced his candidacy for mayor Thursday, becoming the first person to officially enter the 2027 race.
Osili, a Democrat who served as council president for eight years, surprised some observers in December when he announced he would not seek re-election in the position.
The fifth-generation Indianapolis resident is positioning his campaign around neighborhood-focused governance and his track record of bipartisan problem-solving during his 14-year tenure on the council.
"This campaign isn't about ideology or political labels," Osili said in his announcement. "It's about whether city government is delivering the basics people rely on every day."
Osili and Mayor Joe Hogsett have worked closely together during Hogsett's tenure, with Osili often serving as a key ally on council initiatives.
During his time as council president, Osili championed affordable housing expansion, helped launch the city's first microloan program for small businesses, and led efforts to remove criminal history questions from initial city job applications.
No other candidates have formally announced their intentions to run for mayor.
Osili plans to hold neighborhood town halls across Indianapolis in the coming weeks to gather input from residents about campaign priorities.
