This year’s elections for Louisville, Kentucky’s Metro Council will determine whether Democrats will maintain the majority they’ve had since the Council was formed in 2003, or whether Republicans will gain enough seats to either split control or win a majority. This year is also the first time Louisville is holding nonpartisan elections for mayor and metro council. A 2024 law, HB288, required the city to switch to nonpartisan elections. Local news outlets have said that while party labels will not appear on the ballot, the council is expected to continue to operate in a similar fashion with both a Democratic and a Republican caucus.

Heading into the elections, Democrats have a 14-12 majority on the Council. This means Democrats cannot lose any seats and Republicans would need to gain two seats to win a majority.

Both of the candidates running for one seat – Alison Brotzge-Elder and Andrea Parr in District 9 – completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. While the race is officially nonpartisan, both candidates have received endorsements from groups that mostly endorse Democrats.

The Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates of Kentucky and the Sierra Club endorsed Brotzge-Elder. Both the national and Louisville chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) endorsed Parr.

Brotzge-Elder’s career experience includes working as a communications professional and journalist. In our survey, Brotzge-Elder’s listed affordability, transportation, and sustainability as her the three key messages of her campaign and said she would support “equitable development projects that are in the best interest of our community and neighbors,” support “multi-modal transportation system that prioritizes safety, and is convenient and economical,” “improve pedestrian safety, specifically along Frankfort Avenue and Brownsboro Road,” and focus on preserving and improving Louisville's Olmsted Parks and other community spaces.

Parr’s career experience includes working as an analyst in the education, healthcare, media, manufacturing, and technology fields. Parr listed democracy, sustainability, and affordability as the three kep messages of her campaign and said she would support “democratizing our budget process, allowing for meaningful public input,” “defending local laws protecting immigrants and passing new ones to protect trans people,” bringing Louisville Gas & Electric into public ownership and ending "its reliance on fossil fuels, and opposing the construction of hyperscale data centers." Parr also said she would support raising the transit tax, providing free buses, and establishing a municipal grocery system.

Louisville is also holding an election for mayor this year. Incumbent Craig Greenberg and Shameka Parrish-Wright are running. Greenberg was elected as a Democrat in 2022 and has endorsements from Gov. Andy Beshear (D) and the Louisville Democratic Party. Parrish-Wright is a member of the Louisville City Council and one of two mayoral candidates in the 100 most populous cities who the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) endorsed. Greenberg and Parrish-Wright have also both completed our Candidate Connection survey, click here and here to read their responses.