One-third of the seats on the Hopkinsville City Council will see opposition in the May primary election, as will the office of Hopkinsville Mayor following Friday’s filing deadline.
J.R. Knight is seeking a second term as mayor and faces Republican opposition from District 7 Fiscal Court Magistrate Russ Guffey and former city councilwoman Natasha Francis. The winner will face Democrat Markeeta Wilkerson in the November General Election.
Republican Vance Smith is seeking a second term on the Hopkinsville City Council from Ward 1. He will face primary opposition from Chance Andrew Tatum. The winner will face off against Democrat Sharon Manning in November.
The Ward 3 race will feature two people currently serving on the city council. Brandi Stallons, who serves Ward 2, is running against Don Marsh in Ward 3. Both are seeking a second term.
Adrian Bruce is the lone candidate to file to replace Stallons in Ward 2.
Five people have filed to run in Ward 9, with both political parties to feature a primary race. Brittanie Bogard, who defeated incumbent Jamie Lynn Lienbeger in the primary election two years ago and later the general election by 1,386 votes, will face a challenge from Lienberger in the Republican primary.
Three Democrats have also filed for the Ward 9 seat. Ardell Owens, who lost the 2022 primary by nine votes; Duane Shepard, who lost to Bogard in the 2024 general election; and Monike Love, who lost in the 2024 primary.
In Ward 10, Michael Velez defeated two-term councilman Steve Keel by 12 votes in the primary two years ago. The two will face off again in May, with the winner to face Democrat Angelita Atkins in November.
Amy Craig did not file for a fifth term from Ward 5. Republican Anna Norris and Democrat Carolyn Hughes will appear on the November ballot.
Seth Adam Meek did not file to run for a second term from Ward 8, with Republican Stephen Crisp and Democrat Tiffany Pittman the lone people to file for the office.
In Ward 11, Republican Jason Bell has filed for a fifth term on the council. Democrat Andrea Santos-Rickard has also filed for the seat.
In addition to Bruce, the unopposed council seats are Travis Martin from Ward 6, Clayton Sumner from Ward 7, Elizabeth Draude from Ward 12, and Terry Parker, who served three terms in Ward 7 and filed to run in Ward 4, replacing Chuck Crabtree.
A drawing for the order of names on the primary ballot will be Thursday at 2:00.
The deadline to register to vote in the May 19 primary election is April 20.
Tuesday, June 2, is the deadline for Independent candidates to file, and August 24 is the deadline for Write-in candidates to appear on the November general election ballot.
