Democrats Ben Reno-Weber, Phillip Baker, Shameka Parrish-Wright win Metro Council seats
Six candidates were vying for three open seats on Louisville Metro Council this Election Day, but when the dust settled it was a Democratic sweep.
The results don't affect the makeup of the council, as all three seats were already held by Democrats. So the breakdown remains 16 Democrats, nine Republicans and one independent.
Only one seat actually changed hands Tuesday night.
DISTRICT 3: Shameka Parrish-Wright crushes Gibran Crook
Shameka Parrish-Wright, director of the grassroots organization VOCAL-KY, won the District 3 Louisville Metro Council seat with 89.5% of the vote.
Her opponent, Gibran Crook, conceded after early polling numbers showed Parrish-Wright leading by a wide margin.
"Congratulations to Shameka Parrish-Wright on her victory for Metro Council District 3," he said in a message to The Courier Journal. "I'll continue to keep working in the community to show voters in the future I'll be a great future Metro Council (member) to be able to serve the community."
Parrish-Wright, who ran for mayor in 2022, is passionate about environmental justice, reforming Louisville Metro Police and finding ways to make electricity more affordable, she said at a voter forum.
When Keisha Dorsey left Metro Council to become Mayor Craig Greenberg's deputy chief of staff, current Councilman Kumar Rashad was appointed to the position representing parts of Shively and western Louisville.
Rashad was not on the ballot, though. The Louisville Democratic Party nominating committee selected the candidate on the ballot this November. After some confusion and a vote count flub by the committee, Parrish-Wright secured the Democratic nomination.
DISTRICT 6: Phillip Baker crushes Judy Martin Stallard for council seat
Democrat Phillip Baker retained his District 6 seat, beating Republican Judy Martin Stallard with 87.5% of the vote.
Baker intends to run again next year when all of the even-numbered council seats will be up for election, meaning he will have to go through another primary in May.
After former Metro Council President David James became one of Greenberg's deputy mayors, Baker was appointed as the councilman for District 6, which includes Old Louisville, the University of Louisville and parts of downtown.
Baker, a CPS Family Resource coordinator, focused his platform on public safety, affordable housing and elderly support.
Stallard ran for the Kentucky House of Representatives District 42 seat in 2022 but was overwhelmingly defeated by Democrat Keturrah Herron.
DISTRICT 8: Ben Reno-Weber tops Phil Haming, keeps council seat
Democrat Ben Reno-Weber will continue serving as the Metro Council representative for District 8, receiving 81% of the vote.
He intends to run again next year when all of the even-numbered council seats will be up for election.
After Cassie Chambers Armstrong won the state Senate seat Morgan McGarvey held before joining Congress, Reno-Weber was appointed to fill her place as the council representative for the Highlands.
The seat has been held by a Democrat since the council's inception in 2003. At a voter forum in October, Republican opponent Phil Haming said he did not believe he would win the seat for the heavily Democratic district but still wanted to use the election as a platform to share his ideas.
He suggested specific infrastructure changes, like removing the bump outs on lower Bardstown Road.
Reno-Weber hopes to focus on public safety, homelessness, housing, and infrastructure. He has emphasized the need for collaboration between different community leaders and organizations to solve the district's most pressing problems.
This story will be updated.
Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at EMcCrary@courier-journal.com or at @ellie_mccrary on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville Metro Council races: Reno-Weber, Baker, Parrish-Wright win
