Who is on the 2026 ballot in Lexington mayoral, at-large city council races?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Five incumbents won't seek re-election, opening contests for 15 council seats.
- Filing deadline for council and local races is Jan. 9, 2026, per clerk.
- Multiple candidates filed with county clerk or KREF to run and fundraise.
With five incumbents opting not to run for reelection in 2026, races for mayor and the 15 seats on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council will feature many new faces.
The filing deadline to run for the council and other races across Kentucky was Friday, Jan. 9.
Multiple candidates have already filed paperwork with the Fayette County clerk’s office, while others have filed notices with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, or KREF, needed to raise money to run for various seats.
The five incumbents that announced they will not seek reelection are District 3’s Hannah LeGris, District 5’s Liz Sheehan, District 10’s David Sevigny, District 11’s Jennifer Reynolds and District 6’s Lisa Higgins-Hord.
The council is comprised of 12 district seats with representatives serving two-year terms, while the council’s three remaining slots are at-large seats. The highest vote-getter in the at-large race becomes vice mayor, while the other two serve four-year terms.
All local races are nonpartisan, and those with more than two candidates will have a primary in May.
Here’s a look at 2026 mayoral candidates, along with those in the city’s three at-large council seats. A number of candidates have also filed for the council’s 12 district-specific races.
Mayor’s race pits Gorton against two political newbies
At the top of the local ticket is the race for Lexington mayor. Linda Gorton, serving her second term, announced in July she will run for a third and final term. Gorton had not filed as of Wednesday.
A retired nurse who also spent 16 years on the council, including four years as vice mayor, Gorton will face Raquel Carter, a former board of adjustment chairwoman and a real estate agent, as well as local landscaper Greg O’Neal.
With three candidates for mayor, voters can expect a primary in May.
O’Neal said addressing reckless driving and widespread littering are his top priorities.
“My plan is to change the habits of reckless drivers by updating the entire traffic light system,” O’Neal said. “I will also create and enforce a clean-up law for commercial, residential and rental property owners to be responsible for their littered grounds.
Carter, owner and principal broker of Guide Realty, filed paperwork KREF in April 2025 to begin raising money for the race. She said she wants to make sure the city’s policies make it easier for everyone to thrive.
“Lexington is at a pivotal moment, and I am committed to leading our city towards a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” Carter said last April. “My experience in business, community leadership, and public service has prepared me to address the challenges and opportunities facing our city and build a stronger, more inclusive Lexington.”
First-time candidate Carter has also served on the board of Lexington for Everyone, a group that advocated and pushed the city to expand its urban service boundary by more than 2,700 acres in 2023.
Gorton, meanwhile, has frequently sided with and preservationists and the county’s agricultural community during fights over the growth boundary. The current mayor also has a formidable track record on the ballot.
She clobbered former Lexington Council member David Kloiber in 2022, winning all but one of the city’s precincts, with 71% of the vote, despite being outspent 2-to-1. She also easily bested former Lexington Police Chief Ronnie Bastin in 2018 for the then-open seat, winning with 63% of the vote.
Two others, paralegal Alexus Walker and Rama Asmani have filed paperwork with KREF for the mayoral seat. Neither have officially filed with the clerk’s office.
Race for vice mayor, at-large seats
Current Vice Mayor Dan Wu, who was the top vote-getter in the 2022 at-large race, has filed to run again in 2026. Wu, a former restaurant and small business owner, made history as the first Asian-American elected to the council of Kentucky’s second-largest city.
“In my three years on council, I have led on relieving millions in medical debt, fought to create more homes, supported our local nonprofit partners, paved the way for Lexington’s future growth and preservation, and advocated for the right of every Lexingtonian to belong here,” Wu said. “That work is far from over and I ask for the privilege to continue serving as Lexington’s Vice Mayor and keep doing the most good for the most people.”
Also running is incumbent at-large council member James Brown.
A real estate, Brown agent announced in August he would run again and has filed. He was first appointed to the 1st District seat in 2015, a position he held until 2022, when he made history as the first Black resident to win in the at-large, citywide race. Brown also chairs the powerful Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee, which helps oversee the city’s budget and many of its economic development initiatives.
“I am running for re-election because Lexington deserves experienced, visionary leadership that can unite our community and get things done,” Brown said. “Our city is strong, resilient, and full of opportunity, and I am committed to building an even better Lexington for all residents.”
Other candidates who have filed for at-large seats include Herbert Lynn, a first-time candidate who says he is a Democratic Socialist and works as an HVAC dispatcher.
“Lexington is an amazing city, but for working people, life is less affordable than ever. Rent prices have skyrocketed; Home ownership is a pipe dream; Our bills are rising faster than our paychecks,” Lynn said in a December social media post. “The people of this city deserve better. I’m angry, and I know you are too. Our City Council needs more members representing the interests of working people.”
Also running is Stephanie Aschmann Spires, who served on the Fayette County Board of Education from 2017 to 2021. Spires is the executive director of KORE Academy, a neurodiverse school in Lexington.
Spires said she is running in part because too many young people can’t afford to live in Lexington.
“I want to ensure that Lexington grows with intention in a way that preserves our history and farmland but allows our neighbors to live affordably,” Spires said. “And as a mother, I want to make sure that our community is safe for our babies. This means not only fully funding public safety, but funding after school programming and prevention programs, detention alternatives, and youth employment programs.”
Chris Shafer, a city employee, has also filed for the at-large race.
“With a decade of experience in city government as a public service worker I have a deep understanding of how our city works and where we can improve,” Shafer said in a March 2025 Facebook post announcing his campaign. “I will use this experience to inform my decision-making and ensure that we are providing the best possible services to our residents.
Incumbent Chuck Ellinger II has not yet made his plans clear. He was elected to the at-large position in 2018 and reelected in 2022 after previously serving from 2003 to 2014. Ellinger has not yet filed paperwork with the Fayette County clerk’s office to run.
Correction: This story was updated Jan. 9 to correct Mayor Linda Gorton’s time served on the city council. She served 16 years.
This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
