How should Lexington's streets be redesigned to work for cyclists, pedestrians, and public transit – not just cars? A draft design manual could shape road projects going forward.
From Mayor to magistrate, Fayette County voters will find several local offices on their ballots during next week's primary election, which takes place May 19th. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.
Primary elections help narrow the field of candidates competing for a single office and decide who they'll back in the general election, which in Kentucky is November 3rd this year. Primary voters often decide which candidates advance to the general election.
In Fayette County, there are nonpartisan primary races for Lexington's Mayor, Council District 5, and District Court Judge. There are also several Democratic primary races for county offices, such as Judge-Executive and County Commissioner. You'll only see those on your ballot if you're a registered Democrat.
Here's what to expect, with information about each local race and where you can vote on Primary Day, May 19th.
For additional information, check out our Vote Local Lexington guide. We share hard-to-find resources like candidate contacts, background information, and survey responses so that you can make more informed and confident decisions at the ballot box.
What to know to make your voice heard
There are some key things voters need to know as Primary Day approaches. They include:
Check your voter registration status. You can look that up here. The deadline to register to vote in Kentucky's May 19th primary was April 20th. You can still vote in the November 3rd general election if you register by October 5th.
Mail-in absentee ballots requested between April 4th and May 5th must be received by the Fayette County Clerk's Office no later than 6 p.m. on May 19th to be counted. Absentee ballots can be dropped off or mailed to the County Clerk's office at 162 East Main St, according to Lexington's voting information website.
Vote in-person on Primary Election Day May 19th. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time during Kentucky's May 19th primaries. If you are in line when polls close, you will be allowed to vote. You can vote at your designated precinct or any of the six Lexington Public Library locations.
Make sure to bring a photo ID, such as a state-issued driver's license or a student ID. You can view a list of all eligible IDs here.
Which local races are on the ballot for Primary Day, May 19th?
Your primary ballot might look different depending on where you live and which political party you're registered with.
One key thing to know is that Kentucky has closed primaries for partisan races at the state and federal level. What this means in practice: In these types of races, you may only vote in the primary if you're a registered voter of that political party. Democrats vote in the Democratic primary, and Republicans in the Republican primary.
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Curious about what's on your ballot? Visit the Kentucky Secretary of State's website and browse sample ballots by county. You'll need to know where you vote, which you can find out at govote.ky.gov and clicking "New/Update Registration".
All that being said, some local office races in Kentucky are nonpartisan – meaning any registered voter can participate their primaries.
The following local races for the May 19th primaryare open to any voter registered to vote in Fayette County. To review additional information submitted by the candidates, check out our Vote Local Lexington guide.
Lexington's Mayor
Lexington's Mayor acts as the city's chief executive officer, responsible for overseeing operations and implementing policies, ordinances and budgets passed by the Urban County Council.
The two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election will advance to the general election in November.
You'll only see this race if you live in Council District 5. The district is on the south side of Lexington and covers the areas from Kenwick to Idle Hour, Chevy Chase, Ashland, Ecton Park, Lansdowne-Merrick, Patchen Village, Plainview, Lakeview, and others.
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Look up your Council district: Not sure which of the 12 Council districts you live in? Enter your address here.
The Urban County Council is the legislative branch of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. It has the power to pass ordinances (local laws), resolutions, budgets, policies, and to levy taxes. The city's 12 district council representatives serve two-year terms, and they can serve up to six consecutive terms.
The two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election will advance to the general election in November.
District Judge, 22nd Judicial District - 2nd Division
District judges serve four-year terms. Their courts handle any cases involving youth, city ordinances, misdemeanors, traffic offenses, domestic violence and abuse cases, small claims, civic cases, arraignments, violations and probate of wills.
The two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election will advance to the general election in November.
The following races are Democratic candidate primaries. You may only vote in these races if you're a registered Democrat, and in some cases, only if you live in a certain part of Fayette County. Check out Vote Local Lexington for more information about each office and the candidates running. The races include:
Aaron covers the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council as a City Hall Reporter for CivicLex. His background is in Service Journalism, and he’s passionate about helping Lexington residents stay informed about happenings in local government.
The 2026 elections will bring big changes to the Lexington Urban County Council, with seven council incumbents not running for re-election, including many council veterans. This means Lexington voters will see lots of new faces on the ballot this year.
