Kerra Armstrong
A county zoning official and parent of two Blackford students challenging longtime school board president Phil Jones in District 3. Armstrong sits on the Area Plan Commission and is its representative on the Board of Zoning Appeals, where she cast one of the three votes needed to approve the RWE Prairie Creek 2 wind project in 2025. She says she is running to give back to the community and advocate for students.
The 60-second story
Kerra Armstrong is challenging Phil Jones, the school board's president since 2017, for the District 3 seat on the Blackford Community School Board. She is listed as a Republican on the county's official candidate notice, although Indiana school board races are nonpartisan. Jones was unopposed in 2018 and 2022, making this his first contested race on record in more than a decade.
In a Facebook post announcing her candidacy, Armstrong said she and her husband believe "it is important to give back to our community," and that with their sons attending Blackford County Schools, parents should "help to advocate and drive educational needs for our students."
Armstrong is a longtime county zoning official. She sits on the Blackford County Area Plan Commission, appointed by the County Council, and serves as the commission's representative on the Board of Zoning Appeals, both through December 2026. Jones also sits on the Area Plan Commission, as the school board's appointee.
As BZA president in 2022 she presided over the hearings at which the board granted special exceptions for the Lake Trout Solar project and RWE's Prairie Creek Phase 1 wind farm. In September 2025, chairing the Prairie Creek 2 portion of the meeting after BZA President Daniel Schriver recused, she voted with the 3-0 majority to approve RWE's Phase 2 special exception. Three votes were required, so hers was necessary for approval.
Armstrong says she has pushed for tougher restrictions as the Area Plan Commission reviews the county's wind ordinance. During the commission's 2026 workshops she urged members to drop the letter-of-credit option from the decommissioning requirements and to keep a cash bond option in the ordinance; at its Feb. 3, 2026 workshop the commission voted to remove the letter-of-credit language.
In May 2026, speaking in her personal capacity, she asked county commissioners to adopt a moratorium on new wind and solar projects until the county's ordinance review is finished. The official minutes record her saying it was her opinion and not that of any board she serves on.
Quick facts
- Race Blackford Community School Board, District 3
- Filed June 18, 2026 (listed as Republican)
- Opponent Phil Jones, board president (incumbent)
- Occupation HR manager for a local company
- Education B.A. in business management, Anderson University; MBA (finance), 2018
- Family Married to Clint Armstrong; two sons in Blackford County Schools
- Grew up Jay County
- Community boards Blackford County FFA Advisory Board; Blackford County Farm Bureau Inc. (vice president, former president); Jay County 4-H Council (3 years)
- Current posts Area Plan Commission member (County Council appointee) and APC representative to the BZA, through Dec. 2026
- BZA offices President in 2022; elected vice president Aug. 19, 2025
- Key vote Voted to approve RWE Prairie Creek 2 (3-0, Sept. 9, 2025)
Three things voters should know
She cast a deciding vote on Prairie Creek 2
With only three BZA members voting in September 2025, her aye was required to approve RWE's Phase 2 wind project.
She later called for a wind and solar moratorium
In May 2026 she asked county commissioners, in her personal capacity, to pause new wind and solar projects until the ordinance review is done.
She serves on the plan commission with her opponent
Armstrong and Phil Jones both sit on the Area Plan Commission; she was appointed by the County Council and he represents the school board.
Biography
Armstrong grew up in neighboring Jay County. She earned a bachelor's degree in business management from Anderson University and completed an MBA with a concentration in finance in 2018, according to her campaign announcement, and works as an HR manager for a local company. She and her husband, Clint, have two sons who attend Blackford County Schools and are active in 4-H, FFA and the family farm; the family shows swine on local and national circuits.
Armstrong serves on the Blackford County FFA Advisory Board and says she advocated for bringing FFA and agriculture programs to Blackford, meeting several times with then-Superintendent Scot Croner about the value of vocational classes. She is vice president of the Blackford County Farm Bureau board and previously served several years as its president. In that role she worked with Blackford Primary and Intermediate schools on Ag Day, which Farm Bureau plans with Purdue Extension and the local FFA to teach students about agriculture; last year's topic was bees. School board minutes from May 2022 record a $250 donation for an FFA field plot from Armstrong Farms, listed as "Tom and Vikki Armstrong, Clint and Kerra Armstrong."
For the past three years she has served on the Jay County 4-H Council, where her children show alongside their cousins. Her husband, Clint, coached in Blackford athletics for several years before the family turned to showing swine at the regional and national level. She has also volunteered for school field trips, classroom parties and other events.
Armstrong was elected BZA vice president on Aug. 19, 2025, replacing Amanda Wolfe, who had resigned. That night she chaired a Prairie Creek 2 hearing that ran about five hours with more than 30 public commenters, questioning RWE about mechanics liens, drain tile damage, construction traffic and battery storage before the matter was continued.
Memberships & affiliations
Blackford County Area Plan Commission (County Council appointee, through Dec. 2026), Blackford County Board of Zoning Appeals (APC representative; vice president from Aug. 2025), Blackford County FFA Advisory Board, Blackford County Farm Bureau Inc. (vice president; former president), Jay County 4-H Council
Notable votes
Positions, in their own words
"I want to not only serve the best interest of our students, but also parents, faculty, and community."— Campaign announcement on Facebook, 2026
Where the money came from
$0 raised this cycle · 0 contributions