Louisville Ballots Drop Party Labels in First Nonpartisan Vote

Louisville voters will face a changed ballot in the upcoming general election. For the first time since the city and county merger, no party affiliation will appear next to candidates for mayor and Metro Council. This change stems from a state mandate requiring these specific offices to be nonpartisan.

Mayor Craig Greenberg seeks a second term. His primary opponent is Shameka Parrish-Wright, a Metro Council member who holds progressive views and has received an endorsement from the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter. Conservative veteran Jeff Yocum is also in the race as a write-in candidate after leaving the primary field. Greenberg previously won a four-year term as a Democrat, defeating Republican Bill Dieruf.

The absence of party labels removes a key visual cue for voters. Previously, ballots displayed "REP" or "DEM" beside candidate names. Under the new rules, candidates may still identify their party allegiance in campaigns, but the ballot itself will remain neutral. This shift means voters cannot rely on a party signifier to infer a candidate's values or policy positions. Instead, residents must research each individual to understand their platform before casting a vote.

Kentucky allows straight-ticket voting, a process where voters select all candidates from a single party at once. However, this option will not apply to the nonpartisan local races. The first section of the ballot will still offer the choice to select all Republican, Democratic, or Kentucky Party candidates. Ticking that box will not register a vote for mayor or Metro Council. Voters using straight-ticket voting must still manually mark their choices for these local offices, as well as for school board and judicial races.

Election Day is scheduled for November 3. Early in-person voting is available from October 29 through October 31. Voters can review the 2026 General Election Voter Guide from LPM News to identify the specific candidates on their ballot.