Greenberg wins Louisville mayor's race; Barr takes McConnell's Senate seat

Overview

Updated 4 days ago

More than 225,000 Jefferson County voters had cast ballots by 3:45 p.m. on Election Day, about 38% of the county's registered voters, the Jefferson County Clerk's Office said. Polls closed at 6 p.m. in Kentucky and Indiana.

Mayor Craig Greenberg won a second term in Louisville's first nonpartisan mayoral election, and Democrats kept a 13-12 majority on Metro Council. Republican Andy Barr won the U.S. Senate seat Mitch McConnell held for more than 40 years, and Democrat Zach Dembo won Kentucky's 6th Congressional District.

Why it matters

Louisville's first nonpartisan election kept Democrats in control of Metro Council and returned Mayor Craig Greenberg for a second term.

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Molly Malone's Louisville and Covington locations listed for sale Molly Malone's, the Irish pub on Baxter Avenue that has drawn St. Patrick's Day crowds since 1998, is for sale along...
Utility work to bring intermittent I-64 closures in east Louisville Drivers on Interstate 64 in eastern Louisville will meet intermittent closures on Sunday while Louisville Gas and...
Steve Yancey becomes Jefferson County's first elected Black sheriff Jefferson County voters elected Steve Yancey, a Democrat and 28-year veteran of the sheriff's office, as the...
Greenberg wins second term as Louisville mayor Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg won a second four-year term with 54.8% of the vote, defeating Metro Council Member...

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Key Indicators

225,000+

Jefferson County ballots cast by 3:45 p.m.

More than 225,000 voters had cast ballots early or on Election Day, about 38% of registered voters.

38%

Turnout by 3:45 p.m.

Share of Jefferson County registered voters who had cast ballots by 3:45 p.m.

13-12

Democratic Metro Council majority

Democrats kept a one-vote majority after Republicans failed to flip targeted seats.

2nd

Term for Mayor Craig Greenberg

Greenberg won reelection in Louisville's first nonpartisan mayoral general election.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Craig Greenberg

Mayor of Louisville; won reelection

Won a second term in the nonpartisan mayoral race on November 3, 2026

Shameka Parrish-Wright

Metro Council member; lost Louisville mayoral race

Lost the nonpartisan mayoral race to incumbent Craig Greenberg on November 3, 2026

Andy Barr

U.S. Representative; won Kentucky U.S. Senate seat

Won election to the U.S. Senate on November 3, 2026

Charles Booker

Former Kentucky state representative; Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

Lost the 2026 U.S. Senate race to Republican Andy Barr

Zach Dembo

Federal prosecutor and veteran; Democratic candidate for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District

Won election to Kentucky's 6th Congressional District on November 3, 2026

Organizations Involved

Jefferson County Clerk's Office

Local Election Authority

Reported more than 225,000 ballots by 3:45 p.m. and continued counting write-in ballots

The office administered the 2026 general election in Jefferson County and reported turnout figures.

Louisville Metro

Consolidated city-county government

Held its first nonpartisan general election; Greenberg won reelection and Democrats kept a 13-12 Metro Council majority

Louisville Metro is the merged city-county government. Its 2026 local elections were the first held under nonpartisan voting.

Louisville Metro Council

City legislative body

Democrats hold a 13-12 majority after the 2026 election

The Metro Council is the legislative branch of Louisville Metro government.

Timeline

8 events Latest: November 3rd, 2026 · 1 week ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

November 2026
Polls open across Kentucky and Indiana
Latest Election

Voting begins at 6 a.m. local time and runs until 6 p.m.
November 3rd, 2026 • 6:00 AM
Jefferson County turnout passes 90,600
Turnout

More than 90,600 of 590,000 registered Jefferson County voters had cast ballots by 11:30 a.m.
November 3rd, 2026 • 11:30 AM
Jefferson County turnout reaches 225,000
Turnout

More than 225,000 Louisvillians had voted early or on Election Day by 3:45 p.m., about 38% of registered voters, the Jefferson County Clerk's Office said.
November 3rd, 2026 • 3:45 PM
Greenberg wins second term as Louisville mayor
Election

Incumbent Mayor Craig Greenberg won reelection in Louisville's first nonpartisan mayoral general election, defeating Metro Council member Shameka Parrish-Wright.
November 3rd, 2026
Democrats keep Metro Council majority
Election

Democrats held a 13-12 majority on Louisville Metro Council after Republicans failed to flip targeted seats in Districts 7, 17 and 21.
November 3rd, 2026
Barr wins Kentucky Senate seat
Election

Republican Andy Barr won the race for the U.S. Senate seat Mitch McConnell held for more than 40 years. Barr will take the seat in January.
November 3rd, 2026 • 9:00 PM
Dembo wins Kentucky's 6th Congressional District
Election

Democrat Zach Dembo, a federal prosecutor and veteran, won Kentucky's 6th Congressional District, defeating Republican Ralph Alvarado.
November 3rd, 2026
Democrats gain nine Kentucky legislature seats
Election

Democrats knocked off nine Republican incumbents in the Kentucky General Assembly but did not break the GOP supermajority.
November 3rd, 2026

Scenarios

Greenberg wins Louisville mayor's race

Possible Resolves by Nov 24, 2026

Discussed by: Louisville Public Media and WLKY election guides; no public forecast cited

Greenberg won reelection in Louisville's first nonpartisan mayoral general election, defeating Metro Council member Shameka Parrish-Wright. The result was reported by Jefferson County.

Parrish-Wright unseats Greenberg

Possible Resolves by Nov 24, 2026

Discussed by: Louisville Public Media and WLKY election guides; no public forecast cited

Parrish-Wright lost the nonpartisan mayoral race to incumbent Craig Greenberg. The result was reported by Jefferson County.

Barr wins Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat

Possible Resolves by Dec 1, 2026

Discussed by: WLKY election guide; no public forecast cited

Barr won the race for the Senate seat Mitch McConnell held for more than 40 years. He will take the seat in January.

Booker wins Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat

Possible Resolves by Dec 1, 2026

Discussed by: WLKY election guide; no public forecast cited

Booker lost the Senate race to Republican Andy Barr. Barr will take the seat in January.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

November-December 2000

Florida presidential recount (2000)

A close presidential vote in Florida triggered a recount and legal fights over ballot handling. The U.S. Supreme Court stopped the recount, and George W. Bush won the state by 537 votes.

Then

Bush became president after the Supreme Court ruling.

Now

The case underscored how certification rules and court decisions can decide close elections.

Why this matters now

Kentucky and Indiana results may not be final on election night, and official certification will decide the winners.

November 2018