17 candidates compete for nine Glasgow City Council seats
Eight incumbent council members are seeking reelection, while the race also includes several candidates looking to join the council for the first time.
GLASGOW, Ky. — Glasgow voters will decide who serves on the city council when they head to the polls this general election, with 17 candidates competing for nine seats on the nonpartisan ballot.
The field was narrowed from 23 candidates in the May primary election, one of the first Glasgow City Council primaries in recent history. Johnny Belcher will not appear on the ballot because he died this summer.
Primaries for Glasgow’s nine City Council seats are uncommon. A primary is required only when at least 19 candidates file to run, a threshold equal to twice the number of available seats, plus one.
Eight incumbent council members are seeking reelection, while the race also includes several candidates looking to join the council for the first time.
Longtime incumbent Freddie Norris is not seeking reelection.
The nine council seats are elected at large, meaning candidates run citywide rather than representing individual wards. Council members serve two-year terms.
Who is on the ballot?
The candidates appear in the following order on the November ballot:
- Tommy Burris
- Riley Boggs
- Jeff Proffitt
- James “Happy” Neal
- Cathy Thomas
- Beau Jones
- Alexandria L. Hayes
- Elizabeth Dale Shoemaker
- Terry L. Bunnell
- Jamie Read Fancher
- Marna Kirkpatrick
- Chasity Lowery
- Randy Wilkinson
- Kristen Nicole Roberts
- Melinda J. Overstreet
- Joe Trigg
- Michael R. Rich
The ballot order was determined through a public drawing conducted by the Barren County Clerk’s Office in June.
Candidate Johnny Belcher was removed from the ballot after his death on Aug. 7. Because the ballot had not yet been finalized, the county clerk was able to remove his name before the November election.
What voters need to know
The Glasgow City Council race is nonpartisan, meaning candidates do not run under a political party label. Only voters who live within Glasgow city limits are eligible to vote in the city’s council election.
Voters may select up to nine candidates for the nine available seats. They do not have to select nine, according to the published ballot.
The candidates who receive the most votes will serve on the council beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Learn more about the candidates
Barrenside is helping voters learn more about the candidates seeking office and the issues they believe should guide Glasgow’s future through a voter alignment quiz powered by QuizTheVote.
Candidates completed a survey ahead of the May primary election, answering questions about city governance, community priorities and social issues that could fall within the City Council’s purview. The latest quiz includes candidates who advanced past the primary.
Voters take the quiz by selecting the answers that best reflect their own views. Their responses are then compared with those of the candidates, showing which candidates’ policy positions most closely align with their answers.
The tool is designed to help voters look beyond labels and campaign messaging to compare candidates based on their stated positions on issues affecting their community.
