Louisville residents will soon have a clear picture of who’s running for local office in Louisville.
Anyone interested in running for mayor, county attorney or sheriff must file paperwork with the Jefferson County Clerk by Jan. 9. That includes signed declarations showing they are eligible to run, signatures from two registered voters from the same district and details about their designated campaign treasurer. Prospective candidates also have to pay a $50 filing fee.
In 2026, all odd-numbered Louisville Metro Council seats will be up for election. Residents can look up which council district they live in here.
Metro Council is currently split, with neither Democrats nor Republicans holding an absolute majority. Republicans have 12 of 26 seats on the council, the most they’ve held since the 2003 city-county merger. Democrats, meanwhile, have 13 seats, and there is one independent member of Metro Council.
This will be the first election cycle in Louisville when candidates will not have a party affiliation next to their name on the ballot. The Kentucky General Assembly voted to make the city’s mayoral and Metro Council elections nonpartisan during the 2024 session.
That means the primary election on May 19, 2026 will be wide open, with everyone who’s filed to run appearing on the ballot. The top two vote-getters will advance to the General Election on Nov. 3, 2026.
