Nan Polk

Nan Polk's career experience includes working as an educator and administrator.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Faith, Family Future

“Rural communities built Indiana. They feed our nation, power our economy, and preserve the values that make our state strong. Yet too often, small towns and farming communities are overlooked while decisions are made far from home. My belief is simple: when rural families succeed, Indiana succeeds.”

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

FAITH

Strong Communities, Local Values

Faith communities are the backbone of rural Indiana. They provide support, service, and stability when families need it most.

Priorities:

Protect religious liberty and freedom of conscience.

Partner with churches and community organizations to address hunger, addiction, and homelessness.

Encourage volunteerism, mentorship, and civic engagement.

Support local decision-making rather than one-size-fits-all mandates from Indianapolis.

Promote a culture of respect, civility, and personal responsibility.

Belief:

The government cannot replace strong families, strong churches, and strong communities.FAMILY

Helping Rural Families Thrive

Families are facing rising costs, shrinking services, and fewer opportunities close to home.

Priorities:

Protect and strengthen rural healthcare access.

Expand maternal healthcare and support for new mothers.

Improve mental health and addiction treatment services.

Support quality public schools and career education programs.

Reduce the burden of property taxes while protecting essential local services.

Expand affordable childcare options for working families.

Rural Indiana faces healthcare workforce shortages, provider shortages, and limited access to care in many communities, making healthcare one of the defining challenges for rural families.

Belief:

Every child deserves opportunity.FUTURE

Growing Rural Opportunity

Young people should not have to leave home to find opportunity.

Priorities:

Expand reliable rural broadband and cellular service.

Protect family farms from outside interests and unfair market pressures.

Support small businesses and local entrepreneurs.

Invest in roads, bridges, water systems, and community infrastructure.

Promote workforce development and apprenticeships.

Encourage agricultural innovation while preserving farmland.

Broadband access remains a major challenge in many rural areas, limiting educational opportunities, healthcare access, and economic growth. Expanding connectivity is essential to the future of rural communities.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public Education

As a retired teacher and having served for several years on the school board I have seen public education consistently stripped of necessary funding.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Nan Polk, and I am running for the Indiana House seat 54. I am a lifelong resident of New Castle Indiana. I graduated with honors from Butler University and earned my masters at Ball State. I have been married for 48 years and live on my husband's family farm. I have two children and four grandchildren. I am a retired 32 veteran of the high school science classroom.

Upon retiring I took advantage of an opportunity to teach parenting at a childcare facility for high school parents, which I did for five years until we closed due to funding issues. I then championed creating affordable quality childcare for our community and have help open four programs. I have served nine years on the New Castle School Board where I served as our legislative liaison. I have also participated on the ISBA legislative committee. Through ISTA and ISBA I have advocated for public schools for over 30 years.

I am community activist, I have helped establishing our county's League of Women Voters, and Alternatives to Incarceration. I am a board member of our Healthy Communities, Citizens Embracing Diversity, L;ve Drug coalition, and RDC, to name a few.

I care passionately about children and families and have devoted myself since retiring to helping my community create better opportunities for all people. I hope to go to the Indiana Legislature and continue that work.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Faith is the foundation of my platform. For me this refers to the necessity of treating your neighbor as yourself. Our Declaration of Independence proclaims an equal creation, sadly, we do not embrace the attitude of equality today. Without acknowledging equality we can never live out that commandment.Family is my second key focus. We must give everyone the opportunity to adequately provide for their family, through a living wage, affordable housing and healthcare, and quality childcare.My third blank concerns the future. Funding and empowering public education is necessary to ensure our future, without a broad education our democracy fails to function. We must address environmental issues as our planet already exhibiting life altering changes.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Other issues of concern in my district, in addition to those above, include the following. The disease of drug addiction and the resulting incarceration rate. Prisons must include well-funded drug addiction treatment facilities. Homelessness is increasing at an alarming rate. We need commonsense gun laws which will protect our school children and other innocents. Women's basic rights to appropriate health care and to have dominion over her own body are being stripped away. Attention to rural needs including healthcare, broadband, and childcare.