LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Clark County will elect a new sheriff this November.

Incumbent Sheriff Scottie Maples was unseated Tuesday night by former Jeffersonville Police Chief Kenny Kavanaugh for the Republican nomination.

Unofficial election results from the Clark County Clerk's Office showed Kavanaugh defeated Maples with 5,513 votes, accounting for about 65% of the total.

"I came into this race, and came into this race, on the 6th of February, the closing date, 13 minutes before closing, and came in with a vision, came in with a goal and came in knowing this was about public service,” Kavanaugh said after his win. "Being a public servant about public safety and understanding of everything where we've been in Clark County with the office of sheriff where we needed to go."

In a statement posted after the election results, Maples thanked supporters and called serving as sheriff "the honor of my life."

Maples took over in 2023 for former Sheriff Jamey Noel, who was sentenced in October 2024 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to 27 felonies. Just days before the election, it was reported that Noel filed a civil lawsuit April 17 from prison against Maples and others, alleging his constitutional rights were violated while incarcerated.

Kavanaugh is a 33-year veteran of Jeffersonville Police who served 10 years as chief. He announced his candidacy for sheriff in February of this year after stepping down as Jeffersonville police chief in August 2025.

Kavanaugh will now face Democrat Tim Deeringer — also a former Jeffersonville police chief — in the general election this November. Deeringer won the Democratic candidacy Tuesday over Ed Byers.

After his win, Deeringer said he plans to focus on financial transparency following the Noel controversy.

"That's going to be in the back of everyone's mind, you know," Deeringer said. "I think it puts pressure on me or whoever the next sheriff will be, you know, because you got to earn that trust, you can't expect it. And that's what I'll do."

Click here for the full Indiana primary election results.

Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.