Louisville Mayor, Council Races Go Nonpartisan

House Bill 388 removed party labels from Louisville mayoral and Metro Council ballots this year.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections

Louisville Mayor, Council Races Go Nonpartisan

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Louisville mayor and Metro Council races are nonpartisan under House Bill 388, which took effect in January. Candidates appear on this year's ballots without party affiliations, and straight party voters must fill in choices for these races.

Why it matters

The change removes party labels from local races that were previously partisan, so voters must evaluate candidates on individual records rather than party lines. Straight party ticket voting no longer covers these contests.

House Bill 388 took effect in January, and the top two candidates from the May primary advanced to the November 3, 2026 general election. Incumbent Craig Greenberg is running against Shameka Parrish-Wright, and the source does not report how the change will affect the outcome.

The players

Craig Greenberg

Louisville's incumbent mayor, who is seeking reelection in the nonpartisan race.

Shameka Parrish-Wright

A candidate challenging Craig Greenberg in the Louisville mayoral race.

The details

Candidates in the Louisville mayor and Metro Council races no longer have party affiliations listed on ballots this year. Straight party voters must fill in choices for these races as well as for ballot measures such as Amendment 1, which concerns governor pardons.

• January: House Bill 388 took effect, making the races nonpartisan.
• May: The primary narrowed the field to the top two candidates in each race.
• November 3, 2026: General election for mayor and Metro Council.

Political Context

House Bill 388 converted Louisville's mayor and Metro Council contests from partisan to nonpartisan races, extending the state legislature's changes to local ballot rules. Straight party voting no longer covers these offices, altering how Louisville voters mark their ballots.

Louisville voters must fill in individual choices for the mayor and Metro Council races rather than relying on straight party voting. Voters should review candidates' records directly, since no party labels appear next to names on the ballot this year.

The takeaway

With party labels gone from Louisville's mayor and Metro Council races, voters should research each candidate's record and platform before marking their ballots in November.