Hey, Kentucky, it is time to pick your state lawmakers.
All 100 of Kentucky’s state House seats and half of the 38-seat state Senate are up for election this year. (Thanks to several seats going unchallenged and a few seats being already decided in the primary elections, not all of the 119 seats will be on ballots this fall, though.)
What’s at stake? Kentucky’s state legislature controls much of what impacts your day-to-day life—how your tax dollars are spent and who gets needed state funding, whether data centers and Flock cameras are regulated, who can access healthcare and what kind of healthcare is available, what can (and can’t) be taught in classrooms.
Right now, more than 80% of the seats in Kentucky’s state legislature are held by Republicans—making it easy for them to override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and ignore concerns and bills from Democrats. (Of the roughly 200 bills that became law this year, just one came from a Democrat.)
It is unlikely Democrats will win enough seats to become the majority party in Frankfort, but those in the party are hopeful a few key wins can help dampen the Republican supermajority.
Every Kentuckian gets one state senator and one state representative. Both are determined by where you live. Not sure who your Kentucky state lawmakers are? Use this guide to find out.
Hellbender Newsroom went through this fall’s contested state legislative races—here’s a nonexhaustive list of some of the top ones to watch, based on a range of factors including competitiveness, campaign spending, whether or not it is an open seat, or even if a candidate’s lore runs deep.
Incumbents are marked with an asterisk.
Senate District 6
The candidates: Sen. Lindsey Tichenor (R)* and Christian Furman (D)
Where is this? Oldham and Trimble counties, plus part of Jefferson County.
Why is this one to watch? Tichenor has been a “liberty”-leaning firebrand during her first term in office, often backing anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-DEI legislation after riding a conservative wave of culture wars-adjacent backlash into office. Furman, a doctor, is currently raising more money than her, according to recent campaign finance reports.
Senate District 14
The candidates: Ben Mudd (R) and Carrie Truitt (D)
Where is this? LaRue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer, and Washington counties
Why is this one to watch? This is the sole open seat in this year’s batch of state Senate races, as longtime Republican lawmaker Sen. Jimmy Higdon heads toward retirement.
Senate District 36
The candidates: Sen. Julie Raque Adams (R)* and Sarah Cole McIntosh (D)
Where is this? Part of eastern Jefferson County
Why is this one to watch? Democrats are pushing hard to flip this purple district. McIntosh has name recognition from serving on the Jefferson County school board and is using the same consultants who helped propel Beshear’s political campaigns. Adams, though, carries tremendous power as a former Senate Republican Caucus Chair with a roster of political allies on both sides of the aisle. She also boasts a significantly larger campaign warchest.
House District 45
The candidates: Rep. Adam Moore (D)* and Killian Timoney (R)
Where is this? Parts of Jessamine and Fayette counties
Why is this one to watch? Moore is being challenged by his predecessor in the seat, former state Rep. Killian Timoney. Timoney lost his 2024 primary in a landslide, in part due to his refusal to support a 2023 bill aimed at transgender youth. His loss allowed Moore to win, flipping the seat in favor of the Democrats. Will the seat remain with the Dems, or will it swing back to the Republicans?
House District 48
The candidates: Rep. Ken Fleming (R)* and Suhas Kulkarni (D)
Where is this? Parts of Jefferson and Oldham counties
Why is this one to watch? After a Republican state lawmaker filed legislation in early 2026 to block immigrants from running for office, Suhas Kulkarni—a naturalized citizen—filed to run. Kulkarni is the father of a current state representative, Rep. Nima Kulkarni. Defeating Fleming could also have major ramifications for how Kentucky sets healthcare-related policies—Fleming is in charge of the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board and was the primary sponsor of a major Medicaid overhaul bill earlier this year.
House District 96
The candidates: Tanner Hesterberg (R) and Johnny Ray Turner (D)
Where is this? Floyd County and part of Pike County
Why is this one to watch? Incumbent Rep. Ashley Tackett Laferty was the lone “mountain Democrat” left in the House when she decided to not run for reelection this fall, leaving behind an open race to see if Democrats still have much strength in Eastern Kentucky. Johnny Ray Turner, the Democrat running, is a former state senator.
What to know about Kentucky’s 2026 elections
Election Day is Nov. 3, with no-excuse, in-person early voting running from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31. Qualified voters may also be able to vote using a mail-in absentee ballot or earlier in October.
You must be registered to vote by 4 p.m. local time on Oct. 5. Anyone who will be 18 years old on or before Nov. 3 can register to vote.
Kentucky voters will vote on a range of federal, state, and local races, along with a constitutional amendment on when Kentucky governors should be able to issue pardons.
