Baxter wins open Lexington council seat; veteran councilman keeps seat, another loses
Come January, there will be four new faces on the 15-member Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council.
Updated vote totals released Friday show Whitney Elliott Baxter, in her first race, won the open seat to represent the 9th Council District.
In a tight race for the other open council seat, Hannah LeGris won. She’ll represent the 3rd District that includes much of the downtown area.
Veteran Councilman Fred Brown turned back a challenge to retain his 8th District seat, which includes neighborhoods surrounding Tates Creek Golf Course south of New Circle Road.
Councilman Bill Farmer Jr. has lost his bid for re-election to challenger Liz Sheehan who received 145 more votes than Farmer in the updated totals released Tuesday. Farmer asked for a recanvass. That recanavss on Thursday showed no discrepancies or changes in vote totals, county election officials said.
Fayette County Clerk Don Blevins Jr. said Tuesday’s updated totals included 45 absentee ballots that came in after Friday. Those updated totals did not change the outcome of any of the elections.
In addition to LeGris, Baxter and Sheehan, the 6th District will also get a new council member. Newcomer David Kloiber ran unopposed for the seat once held by Councilwoman Angela Evans, who resigned earlier this year to attend graduate school.
If the results hold, the 15-member council will only have one Black council member — Councilman James Brown — for the first time in the history of the merged government. There have been at least two Black council members on the council since 1974, when the city and county merged governments.
After two seats were filled by election on the Fayette County Public Schools’ board, it is all white. Two current Black members — Ray Daniels and Daryl Love — opted not to run.
Fayette County is 16 percent Black and 6 percent Hispanic — more than a quarter of Lexington citizens are not white.
Council members serve for two years. The races are nonpartisan.
3rd Council District
In the 3rd District, which also includes neighborhoods around the University of Kentucky, LeGris received 51 percent of the vote compared to Jessica Mohler’s 48 percent. The winner replaces Councilman Jake Gibbs. Gibbs, who had previously said he wouldn’t seek re-election, died unexpectedly in early March.
According to Friday’s new totals, LeGris received 3,150 votes compared to Mohler’s 2,958 votes, a 192-vote difference.
“I am humbled and honored to be your new 3rd District city council member,” LeGris said. “When I declared my candidacy 11 months ago the world looked very different, but I have worked hard to connect with voters, listen to their thoughts on the issues, and draw upon my diverse career to develop a platform based on real solutions.”
LeGris also praised Mohler, Christine Stanley and Charles Smith, who ran for the seat in the primary. Mohler and LeGris were the top two vote-getters in that race and moved on to the general election.
“I would like to thank Jessica Mohler, Charles Smith, and Christine Stanley for their passion and willingness to serve the district,” LeGris said. “Jess and I spoke earlier today; I respect her commitment to our community, the connections she has built, and the platform she shared during this council race.”
Mohler said although she was disappointed she will not ask for a recanvass.
“While this was not the outcome we had hoped for, I am still brimming with pride at the campaign my incredible team put forth,” Mohler said. “As this election season comes to a close, I remain hopeful for the future – hopeful that our country can find ways to come together to combat systemic racism and income inequality and that compassion, decency, and empathy will lead the way toward a season of healing and unity. “
5th Council District
In the 5th District race, Sheehan received 50 percent of the vote compared to Farmer’s 49 percent, according to Friday’s vote totals.
Sheehan, a UK senior lecturer, received 145 more votes than Farmer. The 5th District includes the Chevy Chase area.
Farmer later requested a recanvass. In a recanvass, vote totals are checked. It’s not the same thing as a recount.
Blevins said Thursday with modern voting technology, a recanvass rarely changes the outcome.
“In the past, when we had mechanical machines or even before, the chances of a human error affecting the results were higher,” Blevins said. “With modern election equipment, it is highly unlikely that a recanvass will find a discrepancy.”
The 2020 general election was a rematch of 2018 when Farmer beat Sheehan in a close race. Farmer served on council from 1993 to 2004. He was re-elected to council in 2010. During the campaign, Farmer said the city needed experienced leadership as it faced unprecedented financial challenges. Sheehan stressed the city needs new ideas that will make the city more inclusive and welcoming to everyone.
8th Council District
Councilman Fred Brown held off challenger Christian Motley in the 8th District.
Brown received 52 percent of the vote compared to Motley’s 47 percent. Brown received 441 more votes than Motley, 34, who works for a nonprofit and has worked in the administrations of former Gov. Steve Beshear and President Barack Obama.
Brown, 78, served on the council from 1994 to 2004 and from 2015 to the present.
Motley said he is still waiting for the final vote totals to be released on Tuesday.
“Our team has seen the newest update from the clerk’s office, and will continue to monitor vote totals until the last ballot is counted,” Motley said. “It’s been my great privilege to run to represent our 8th District neighbors on city council, and I respect the will of the voters, no matter the outcome.”
9th Council District
Baxter received the most votes of any candidate in the contested council races with 7,074 votes.
Baxter, 37, received 56 percent of the vote compared to Fogle’s 44 percent, Friday’s updated totals show.
Fogle received the most votes in the four-way May primary. Baxter was second. Fogle, 59, an insurance agent, served as the 7th District councilman from 1994 to 2002. He was also an aide to late Councilman Julian Beard.
Baxter has said addressing traffic, particularly on Nicholasville Road and around schools, including Jesse Clark Middle School and Wellington Elementary School, was her top priority if elected.
In a Facebook post, Baxter thanked her supporters and voters for her win.
“Thank you so much for placing your trust in me and for supporting my desire to serve our great community. I am humbled by your vote!” Baxter wrote. “I would also like to thank Willy Fogle. It was a pleasure to run alongside you and I wish you all the best. “
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 1:44 PM.
