2026 is an election year in Lexington. The mayor's seat and all city council seats will be on the ballot in November's general election. Two of those races will have a primary election on May 19.
The point of a primary election is to choose the two candidates to appear on the final ballot. If there are only two filed candidates, both will automatically pass to the general election. If there are more than two, a primary election is held.
This year, the only races with a primary will be the elections for mayor and city council district 5.
The race for mayor drew seven candidates - the most of any spot on the ballot. Incumbent Linda Gorton is seeking a third term and will face six challengers: Rama Asmani, Raquel E. Carter, Skip Horine, C.E. Huffman, Greg O'Neal, and Darnell Tagaloa.
Because the mayor represents all of Lexington and the race is nonpartisan, any registered Lexington voter can participate in both the primary and the general election.
The council district 5 election has three candidates: Nick Wolter, Stephenie Hoelscher, and Michael McLaughlin. The primary will decide which two candidates will be on the ballot in November. Only Lexington residents living inside of council district 5 will be able to vote for this seat.
Find your council district here. The deadline to register to vote is Monday, April 20, and the last day to request a mail-in absentee ballot is May 5. All Lexington voters can vote at any Lexington Public Library location on the May 19 primary.