During the May 19th primary election, local voters went to the ballot box to advance their picks in several local races, including for Lexington's Mayor, Council District 5, District Judge, and several county offices.
The stage is officially set for the November 3rd general election, when an At-Large Council race, along with several Council District races, will be decided.
In the coming months, CivicLex will update our Vote Local Lexington candidate guide with information about all local races, from Council to school board.
In the meantime, here's a recap of how local candidates performed in Tuesday's primaries:
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Note: Election night results are unofficial until they have been officially canvassed and certified. For more information, visit the State Board of Elections' website.
Gorton and Carter headed to general election in Lexington Mayor's race
On Tuesday, Mayor Linda Gorton advanced to the general election with a total of 25,298 votes-- 46% of the total votes cast. Her challenger will be newcomer Raquel Carter, who won 15,615 votes, 28% of the total.
In the crowded primary race, there were five other candidates. Only the top two vote-getters advance to the general in this race.
Stephenie Hoelscher and Nick Wolter advance in Council District 5
Stephenie Hoelscher and Nick Wolter advanced the general election for Council District 5, which covers neighborhoods on Lexington's south side, from Kenwick to Idle Hour, Chevy Chase, Ashland, Ecton Park, Lansdowne-Merrick, Patchen Village, Plainview, Lakeview, and others.
Current District 5 Councilmember Liz Sheehan has announced she's not running for reelection. The outcome in Tuesday's Council District 5 primary is as follows:
Hoelscher - 2,943 votes (49% of total votes cast)
Wolter - 1,661 votes (28%)
Other local race outcomes
The following candidates also won their primary races and will advance to the general election.
22nd District Judge, 2nd Division
Shannon Brooks - 27,793 votes (56% of total votes cast)
Alex Garcia - 18,350 votes (37%)
County Judge-Executive
Mary Diane McCord Hanna - 25,541 votes (82% of total votes cast)
County Commissioner, District 1
Perry Scott Gibson - 5,529 votes (63% of total votes cast)
County Commissioner, District 2
Elizabeth Ann Hatfield - 5,615 votes (56% of total votes cast)
Magistrate, District 3
Chrysanthia Seals - 7,792 votes (77% of total votes cast)
Constable, District 1
Robert Miller - 4,638 votes (53% of total votes cast)
Constable, District 3
Edward "Eddie" Sparks - 5,340 votes (55% of total votes cast)
-- CivicLex Communications Director Haley Wartell contributed to this report.
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.
