The New Council
In November of 2022, Lexington elected a new Urban County Council. The 2023/24 Council is the most diverse council in Lexington’s history and has the most freshman Council Members ever. Read more below to learn about who got elected, what Committees they sit on, and what their priorities are.
Lexington’s new Council at a glance
40% of Council are brand new to the Council - including Lexington’s new Vice Mayor, Dan Wu, who replaced current Vice Mayor Steve Kay.
Districts 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 elected new Council Members in Tayna Fogle, Shayla Lynch, Brenda Monarrez, Denise Gray, and Dave Sevigny.
This includes a big change in District 2 - Shayla Lynch won the seat over Josh McCurn, the only incumbent upset of the election.
Incumbents Chuck Ellinger (at Large), Hannah LeGris (D3), Liz Sheehan (D5), Preston Worley (D7), Fred Brown (D8), Whitney Baxter (D9), Jennifer Reynolds (D11), and Kathy Plomin (D12) all were reelected.
James Brown, former District 1 Council Member, is now be a Council at Large member, the only sitting District Council Member to move into an At Large role in the 2022 race.
This is the most diverse council on record with six Council Members of color - or 40% of the Council.
This is also the most female Council in Lexington’s history - 60% of the Council.
A new Vice Mayor & Council at Large
Lexington elected two new Council At-Large members - Dan Wu and James Brown - and reelected one incumbent - Chuck Ellinger. The top vote getter in the city-wide race, Dan Wu, is Lexington’s new Vice Mayor.
Vice Mayor Dan Wu
Wu has worked as a chef, small business owner, and community activist.
The issues listed on his website include Civil Rights, Local Government, Housing, The Economy, The Environment, and Public Safety.
You can find his campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
A quick note: Dan Wu was recently a Programmatic Board member of CivicLex.
Council At-Large Member James Brown
Brown has served for six years as District 1’s Councilmember.
He is currently the Chair of the Planning and Public Safety Committee, and serves on a number of city boards and commissions.
You can find his campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
Council At-Large Member Chuck Ellinger
Ellinger has served as an At-Large Councilmember since 2018.
The issues listed on his website include Basic Services, Accountability, Services, Responsible Spending, Neighborhood Involvement, Traffic, Responsible Growth, Education, Downtown, Employment, Experience, and Tourism.
You can find his campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Council Races
Lexington elected new Council Members in Districts 1, 2, 4, 6, & 10.
District One Council Member Tayna Fogle
Fogle is an Organizer at Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. She is also a Volunteer Reentry Specialist for the Catholic Action Center. This will be her first term on Council.
Issues listed on her website include Healthy Community, Livability, and Working Democracy.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Two Council Member Shayla Lynch
Shayla Lynch is the current Executive Director of the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning and has formerly worked with Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center of the Bluegrass and the Lexington Fair Housing Council.
The values listed on her website include Service, Advocacy, and Partnership.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Three Council Member Hannah LeGris
Hannah LeGris has served as District 3’s Councilmember since 2020. This will be her second term on Council.
Issues listed on her website include Greenspace and Environmentalism; Human Rights & LGBTQ+ Initiatives; Supporting Local Business; Downtown Investment; Affordable Housing; Performing, Visual & Literary Arts; Bicycle & Pedestrian Infrastructure; and Government Accountability.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Four Council Member Brenda Monarrez
Brenda Monarrez is a small business owner and formerly worked at the Kentucky Housing Corporation. She was District 4’s representative on the Redistrict Lexington Commission in 2021. This will be her first term on Council.
The issues listed on her website are Roads, Highways, and Transportation; Promoting Small Business; Public Safety; Urban Services Boundary; Fairness & Equality; Environmental Stewardship; Youth Engagement; and Affordable Housing.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Five Council Member Liz Sheehan
Liz Sheehan was first elected to Council in 2020. This will be her second term. She also works for the University of Kentucky as a faculty member in the Department of Psychology.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Six Council Member Denise Gray
Denise Gray works as an educator for Fayette County Public Schools. She is also the owner of Leading the Way, LLC and the president of the nonprofit Our Commonwealth.
The issues listed on her website are Housing Affordability, Community Safety, Access to Transportation, Youth, Civic Engagement, Economic Development, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Seven Council Member Preston Worley
Preston Worley is the current District 7 Councilmember. He is also a real estate and development attorney for McBrayer Law Firm. He was first elected in November 2016. This will be his fourth term in office.
You can find his campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Eight Council Member Fred Brown
Fred Brown is the current District 8 Councilmember. He also worked as a self employed public accountant. He was has served on Council since 2014. This will be his fifth term in office.
You can find his campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Nine Council Member Whitney Baxter
Whitney Baxter is the current District 9 Councilmember. She serves on the Planning & Public Safety Committee and the General Government and Social Services Committee. She was first elected in November 2020. This will be her second term on Council.
The issues listed on her website are Transparency and Education, Public Safety, and Housing and Development.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Ten Council Member Dave Sevigny
Dave Sevigny is the founder of an IT Company called Volta and is the Chair of Commerce Lexington’s Business Owners Advisory Boards. This will be his first term on Council.
The priorities listed on his website are Attracting Talent, Promoting Placemaking, and Diversifying Housing.
You can find his campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Eleven Council Member Jennifer Reynolds
Jennifer Reynolds is the current District 11 Councilmember. She serves on the General Government and Social Services Committee and the Planning and Public Safety Committee. She was first elected in November 2018; this will be her third term on Council. She has also worked with the Bluegrass Youth Ballet and as a Medical Interpreter.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
District Twelve Council Member Kathy Plomin
Kathy Plomin is the current District 12 Councilmember. This will be her fourth term on Council.
She serves on the Planning and Public Safety Committee and is the Vice Chair of the General Government and Social Services Committee. She was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at WKYT and worked with United Way of the Bluegrass.
You can find her campaign website, social media platforms, and various survey responses here.
