Former Metro Council President David James and David Yates, a Democratic state senator, will fill the vacancies in the Jefferson County County Clerk and Sheriff’s Offices.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced the appointments at a press conference in Metro Hall Friday morning. James will temporarily step down as deputy mayor to replace long-time Sheriff John Aubrey, who died last week at the age of 86. Yates, meanwhile, will step into the vacancy in the County Clerk’s Office left by Bobbie Holsclaw. Holsclaw passed away on Sept. 10 after managing Louisville’s elections for nearly three decades.
Speaking to a room full of elected officials, sheriff’s deputies and reporters, Greenberg said Holsclaw and Aubrey were “two dedicated public servants and wonderful people.” He said having both of them die so close together “added to that feeling of responsibility.”
“I wanted to make sure that the two individuals that I selected for each of these important county-wide roles was someone who has a strong, proven record of public service in our community, someone that has been able to work with people from all across the community,” Greenberg said.
Both James and Yates will serve out the remainder of their predecessor's terms, which run through the end of next year.
James said he doesn’t plan to run for reelection and expects to return to his role as deputy mayor at the end of his appointment. Until then, James said he intends to carry forward Aubrey’s legacy of commitment and compassion.”
“I am committed to using the office to build bridges, strengthen trust and ensure that every resident feels protected, respected and heard,” he said. “Public safety today is about more than enforcing the law, it’s about partnerships, it’s about transparency, it’s about accountability.”
James’ appointment makes him the first Black person to serve as Jefferson County Sheriff.
The sheriff’s office is responsible for tax collection, evictions and courthouse security.
In his first act as Sheriff, James appointed Peewee Valley Police Chief Steve Healey as chief deputy. Healey worked for Louisville Metro Police Department for over two decades before retiring as a deputy chief in 2024.
Together, he and Healey intend to modernize the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, James said.
Greenberg also appointed one of the few remaining Democrats left in the state Senate to replace Holsclaw, a Republican, as county clerk.
Yates currently represents District 37 in the Kentucky Senate, which stretches from Churchill Downs to Pleasure Ridge Park. He’s the Minority Whip for the six-person Democratic caucus. Yates will have to give up his senate seat in order to take the appointment.
That means only five Democrats will remain in the Senate with his departure — four from Jefferson County and one from Fayette County. Democratic Governor Andy Beshear will have to call a special election to decide who will serve out the remainder of Yates’ term, which runs through 2028.
Before serving in the legislature, Yates served on Louisville Metro Council.
He said Friday that these prior roles prepared him for “this new chapter of service.”
“Our Clerk’s Office, they serve a lot of vital roles, but one of the most sacred responsibilities we have in a democracy [is] running free, fair and transparent elections,” he said. “Louisvillians deserve nothing less.”
Yates said he intends to “build on that strong foundation” that Holsclaw left behind, safeguarding the public trust she earned and giving residents confidence that every vote will be counted.
In addition to running elections, the Clerk’s Office is responsible for issuing vehicle registration, marriage licenses and collecting delinquent property taxes.
‘Not a day for politics’
Unlike James, Yates already announced his plan to run for County Clerk. Healey also launched a campaign for Jefferson County Sheriff after Aubrey announced in February that he wouldn’t seek reelection.
Asked by a reporter whether his appointments were an attempt to “give a leg up” to these two Democrats, Greenberg said he didn’t want to talk about politics.
“Today is not a day for politics,” Greenberg said. “I was focused on selecting two individuals that I knew could do the job very well.”
The appointments will allow Yates and Healey time to get experience with the offices as they campaign for full four-year terms. Neither Democrat has held their respective offices before.
Yates and Healey could have to gear up for an election as early as next summer. There will be a primary in Jefferson County next May, with the winners advancing to the general election in November 2026.
If Yates is successful, he will be the first Democrat to lead the County Clerk’s Office since the 1990s.
District 19 Metro Council Member Anthony Piagentini, to head the council’s Republican Caucus, told LPM News Friday that he would have liked to see someone appointed to County Clerk who wasn’t running.
“But I’ve known Senator Yates for many years now and I do believe he will be fair,” he said.
Piagentini said he plans to speak with Yates in the coming days and weeks to make it clear that “this is still Bobbie Holsclaw’s office.”
Until there’s an election, Piagentini said he would like to see “some ongoing stability” in that office, meaning no wholesale changes to staff.
In the Sheriff’s Office, Healey will face primary challengers in May. Richard Breen, a local attorney and former sheriff’s deputy, and Stephen Yancey, another former deputy, are both running to replace Aubrey.
