Democrats dominate the Louisville Metro Council, a position they've long enjoyed but converted into a supermajority after the 2018 election. But in 2020, half of the Council's seats — the even-numbered ones, this time — will be up for election and there's a chance the party balance could change.
The filing deadline for the May primary is Friday afternoon, and nearly all of the races for the even-numbered seats will be competitive.
So far, the most crowded race is for downtown. District 4, which covers the Central Business District, had seven candidates as of Friday afternoon, all Democrats. Its current Council member, Barbara Sexton Smith, announced last month she will not run for reelection.
Five candidates have filed to run for District 2, which includes the central county neighborhood Newburg, and four in District 18, in eastern Jefferson County. The incumbents for both districts, Democrat Barbara Shanklin and Republican Marilyn Parker, have also filed to run again.
Here's a rundown of the candidates who have filed to run, so far. This list may be updated when the deadline passes.
District 2
Democrat
- Barbara Shanklin, incumbent — First elected as a founding member of Metro Council in 2002. Served as president in 2006, and survived an ethics investigation in 2013.
- Caroline Grundy — Businesswoman who ran against Shanklin in the 2016 primary
- Curtis Wilkerson — No information available
- RaeShanda Lias-Lockhart — U.S. Army veteran and fashion designer
Republican
- Folly H. Aboussa — U.S. Army veteran and President and CEO of Frazier Management Group Inc.
District 4
Democrat
- Adam Caperton — Nulu-based real estate agent
- Aletha Fields — Teacher and Jefferson County Teachers Association representative who considered a run in 2016
- Darryl Young, Jr. — Programming Manager for the Muhammad Ali Center
- Dennisha Rivers — Community newspaper editor and founder of the Black Entrepreneurs Network Louisville
- Jecorey Arthur — Musician and music education teacher. Arthur is employed by WFPL's parent company, Louisville Public Media.
- Robert LeVertis Bell — Teacher and activist, members of the Democratic Socialists of America
- Ron Bolton — President of Schnitzelburg Area Community Council
District 6
Democrat
Courtney Phelps — Reverend and lawyer who recently explored a run for U.S. Senate
- David James, incumbent — Former police officer, in his third year as Metro Council president
Republican
- Kristi "Kristina" Smith — No information available
District 8
Democrat
- Cassie Chambers Armstrong — Lawyer and vice chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party
- Daniel Borsch — Local restaurant owner and member of the Urban Services District Board
- Shawn Reilly — Small business owner and president of the Tyler Park Neighborhood Association
District 10
Democrat
- Pat Mulvihill, incumbent — Attorney and former chair of the Democratic caucus, running for his second term
- Ryan Fenwick — Attorney and former mayoral candidate
District 12
Democrat
- Rick Blackwell, incumbent — Founding Council member first elected in 2002, and president of DeSales High School
Republican
- Debbie Gray — Director of Employee Relations at Volunteers of America Mid-State and onetime candidate for the Jefferson County Public Schools board
District 14
Democrat
- Cindi Fowler, incumbent — First elected in 2012 and a former JCPS employee
Republican
- Michael Powell — No information available
District 16
Democrat
- James Michael Green — Attorney and former judge
Republican
- Scott Reed, incumbent — Business executive first elected to Council in 2016
District 18
Democrat
- Mera Kathryn Corlett — Justice of the Peace for Jefferson County's 1st Municipal District
- Noah Grimes — Vice Chair of the Brookhaven Neighborhood Association, business representative for the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters and warden of Carpenters Local 175
- Susan Jarl — Commissioner for the small city of Bellemeade
Republican
- Marilyn Parker, incumbent — Critical care nurse first elected in 2012
District 20
Republican
- Stuart Benson, incumbent — Former teacher and founding member of the Metro Council first elected in 2002
- Wyatt Allison — Real estate agent
District 22
Republican
- Robin Engel, incumbent — A sales executive and founding Council member first elected in 2002
District 24
Democrat
- Madonna Flood, incumbent — Founding member of the Council first elected in 2002 and former property management professional
District 26
Democrat
- Brent Ackerson, incumbent — Lawyer first elected in 2008
This story has been updated to include additional candidates who filed after the original story was published.
