Veronica Pejril
Veronica Pejril is an American politician from Greencastle, Indiana. She served as a Greencastle City Council member from 2020 to 2024, making her the first openly transgender elected official in the state of Indiana. She is a candidate for District 24 in the 2024 Indiana Senate election.
Education
Pejril studied music composition at the University of Illinois. As a student, she developed software tools for musicians and received a doctoral fellowship to Princeton University.[1] She received a Master of Fine Arts degree and is now a teacher at Depauw University.[2]
Political career
During her election campaign, Pejril experienced transphobic harassment by fellow city council candidate Haywood Ware. Pejril denounced the behavior as well as separate islamaphobic posts. These statements were denounced by other council candidates, and the state Democratic chairman encouraged Eric Holcomb to do the same.[3] Pejril entered office on January 1, 2020, and became the first openly transgender elected official in the state of Indiana.[4] She lost her reelection in 2023 to Tina Nicholson.[5]
Pejril serves as secretary for the Putnam County Democratic Party.[6] She was a delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention.[7] She is also on the board of directors for Indiana Youth Group.[8]
Pejril announced her candidacy for District 24 of the 2024 Indiana Senate election in January 2024.[9]
See also
List of transgender public officeholders in the United States
References
- ^ "Veronica Pejril seeks Democrat nod in Senate District 24". Greencastle Banner Graphic. April 29, 2024. Archived from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ "Pejril, Veronica J., MFA - Faculty Bio". Depauw University. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Facebook posts cause stir in city council race". Greencastle Banner Graphic. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "City's annual swearing-in ceremony means something special for 2020". Greencastle Banner Graphic. 2 January 2020. Archived from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ "GOP comes two votes from city sweep". Greencastle Banner Graphic. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Veronica Pejril". Putnam County Democratic Party. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Veronica Pejril". Hoosier Women Forward. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Board & Directors". Indiana Youth Group. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Candidate List - Abbreviated" (PDF). Retrieved 7 September 2024.