Downtown Lexington councilmember not running for reelection in 2026
A third Lexington councilmember has decided not to seek reelection in 2026.
Third District Councilmember Hannah LeGris, who has represented Lexington’s downtown and University of Kentucky campus areas since 2020, announced Friday morning her decision not to seek a fourth term.
“I love this position and have found it to be deeply rewarding, interesting, and impactful,” LeGris said in a press release.
However, LeGris said she chose to end this iteration of her public service, largely for financial stability.
“It is time to look for a role that is more financially sustainable for me, and open up this seat to another person willing to work hard on behalf of our constituents,” she said.
“Joining Council at the same time as Councilmember LeGris gave me a front-row seat to her dedication and genuine care for our community,” 5th District Councilmember Liz Sheehan said of serving with LeGris.
The two councilmembers worked closely together in their time on council.
“She is a tireless advocate for her district, a thoughtful leader, and I have deeply valued working alongside her,” Sheehan told the Herald-Leader.
LeGris has spent her time on council focused on increasing Lexington’s urban density, bikeability and walkability, and making Lexington more environmentally sustainable.
“When I think about being in elected office of public service, it is a really privileged and special role,” she told the Herald-Leader. “I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot of big projects.”
She has regularly supported projects that build or improve new sidewalks and bike lanes throughout Lexington and is a member of the STREEET Safety Task Force, a city body that recommended several strategies for Lexington can improve street safety earlier this year.
She has been the council lead on the Lex Grow Trees initiative, which provides money for new tree plantings across Lexington. According to Lex Grow Trees website, 1,109 trees have been planted across Lexington through the program since 2022.
LeGris was just one of three councilmembers to vote against the expansion of Lexington’s urban service boundary in 2023.
LeGris says of all her work on council, she is most proud of the renovations to Phoenix Park in downtown Lexington.
“Getting the chance to get public input and to rebuild that park in such a, hopefully, beautiful and lasting way is something I’m really proud of,” she told the Herald-Leader.
Phoenix Park reopened in September 2025 after a $4.6 million reconstruction project brought new playsets, seating, a small stage and a new dog park to the site.
LeGris is the second councilmember not seeking reelection next year to cite councilmember pay as a reason not to run again.
Eleventh District Councilmember Jennifer Reynolds, who has served in that seat since 2018, announced in October her decision not to run for reelection due to the role’s low pay.
“The reality of the current part-time pay for more than full-time work limits who can hold these positions as it is not sustainable for the average Lexingtonian,” Reynolds said in her announcement.
Councilmember salaries are around $40,000 a year.
LeGris was a staff member at the University of Kentucky when she was first elected. She left that role soon after taking office, but over her three terms has taught classes at the university and done consulting work while in office.
“I wanted to create a situation where I could engage as fully as possible with that work of elected office, while also generating some additional financial stability for myself, and I was able to do that one way or another,” LeGris told the Herald-Leader. “But I also need to turn toward the future and think about what impact looks like and what putting my values into practice looks like.”
Tenth District Councilmember Dave Sevigny also announced he is not running for reelection for a third term next year, although he did not cite pay or finances in his announcement.
Griffin VanMeter, a local entrepreneur who co-founded the NoLi Community Development Corporation, Bullhorn Creative, and Kentucky for Kentucky, announced his campaign for the 3rd District seat Friday afternoon. He is the only candidate to announce a campaign or file any kind of paperwork for the seat as of writing.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with quotes from Hannah LeGris.
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 1:15 PM.
