James Brainard.

About James Brainard

James Brainard is the mayor of Carmel, Indiana, a principal city in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Brainard, who first took office January 1, 1996, is currently serving his seventh consecutive four-year term, most recently reelected in 2019. Mayor Brainard is one of Indiana's longest serving mayors. While mayor, Carmel's population has grown from 25,000 in 1996 to 102,000 in 2021 and seen the creation of a new downtown called City Center, where a new 1,600-seat concert hall, The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts, opened in 2011. Two smaller theaters have opened as well, in addition to the redevelopment of the oldest part of town into a new Arts & Design District. Brainard has announced that he will not run for re-election in 2023. His term is scheduled to end on December 21, 2023.