LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – One Metro Council incumbent won in a tight race. Another cruised by a large margin.
The 13 odd-numbered districts in the 26-member council are up for election this year. Seven districts had contested primaries on Tuesday.
Here’s a rundown of each race with ballots from all of the city's 673 precincts counted, according to the Jefferson County Clerk’s office.
District 1
Five candidates filed to run for the District 1 seat that was held by Democrat Jessica Green before she was appointed to a Jefferson Circuit Court judgeship. The council chose Angela Bowens to fill the seat, but she isn’t seeking to hold it in this year’s elections.
Republican Charlie Bell, a career coach for Goodwill, ran unopposed and will face the winner of a Democratic primary punctuated by a lawsuit over candidate eligibility.
Tammy Hawkins received 48 percent of the vote, followed by Kathleen Parks with 25 percent. Hawkins was recently chosen for the West End Opportunity Partnership board, which would oversee revenue from a proposed tax increment financing district in the city’s western neighborhoods.
Parks, who has taught as an adjunct professor at Bellarmine University, sued Ameerah Granger, an activist who has helped lead the fight against the TIF, over her eligibility in the newly reconfigured district. Granger was listed on the ballot, but a Jefferson Circuit Court judge ruled she is not eligible for the seat.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals denied an appeal this week, and Granger won’t pursue a state Supreme Court challenge, her attorney Ryan Fenwick said.
Richard Whitlock Jr., a violence prevention coordinator at Interfaith Paths to Peace, received 14 percent of the vote.
District 3
Incumbent Democrat Keisha Dorsey took 90 percent of votes cast in her primary, while challenger Gibran Crook, an AAU basketball coach and program director, received 10 percent.
No Republicans filed to run for the seat.
District 5
Incumbent Donna Purvis eked out a 121-vote win over Ray “Sir Friendly C” Barker, a retired Louisville police officer. She received 42 percent of the vote, compared with 41 percent for Barker. Paralegal Sherlena Watkins got 18 percent.
No Republicans filed.
District 7
Incumbent Paula McCraney ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face Republican Michael Parrino in November. Parrino, a retired finance professional, also had no challengers in his race.
District 9
The most crowded Metro Council race is the Democratic primary for District 9, where incumbent Bill Hollander isn’t seeking reelection. Six candidates sought the party’s nomination.
Andrew Owen, an entrepreneur and the son of longtime former Metro Council member Tom Owen, captured 40 percent of the vote. Alison Brotzge-Elder, a former spokeswoman for the Greater Louisville Inc. chamber of commerce, was next with 28 percent. Mike Brooks, an accountant and president of the Crescent Hill Community Council, finished in third place with 15 percent.
Jim Mims, Metro government’s former planning director, Jack Andrews and Wynn Simpson also were on the ballot.
Republican Alexandra Martindale will face the Democratic winner in the November general election.
District 11
No Democrats filed to run for the seat held by Republican Kevin Kramer.
District 13
Incumbent Mark Fox, a Democrat, will face Republican Dan Seum Jr., son of the longtime state senator, who had no opposition.
District 15
Five Democrats were running to replace outgoing council member Kevin Triplett.
Jennifer Chappell, chair of the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, surged to win with 31 percent, besting community organizer Tyler Lamon (29 percent) and Dan Luckett Jr., Triplett’s legislative assistant (23 percent).
Real estate agent Alena Balakos received 11 percent of the vote. Cassandra Colon was at 6 percent.
No Republicans filed for the seat.
District 17
Incumbent Markus Winkler will face the winner of the Republican primary between Kent Hall, a retired chief deputy in the Jefferson County Clerk’s office, and Marvin Odom III.
Hall won (77 percent) over Odom (23 percent).
Independent William Bezoenik also has filed to run and will appear on the November ballot.
District 19
Incumbent Anthony Piagentini ran unopposed. No Democrats filed to run for the seat.
District 21
A new representative will be elected this year to replace Democrat Nicole George, who isn’t running again.
Betsy Ruhe, a retired Jefferson County Public Schools teacher, is the only Democrat who filed to run. She will face Stephen Datillo Jr. who won the Republican primary.
He finished with 64 percent of the vote. His opponent, tax preparer Irina Baptiste got 36 percent.
District 23
Republican Jeff Hudson is the only candidate vying to replace longtime Metro Council member James Peden, who withdrew and won his primary for state Senate.
District 25
Incumbent Democrat Amy Holton Stewart and Republican Khalil "Charlie" Batshon will face off in the fall after neither had a primary challenge.
