Sheehan, Ladd win Fayette primary for District 5 council seat, unofficial results show

Liz Sheehan and Greg Ladd will face each other in the November election, both seeking the Urban County Council 5th District seat.

Sheehan, the incumbent, had 54% of the votes. Ladd followed with 26%, and Ami Hillenmeyer 20%, according to final unofficial election results with 100% of polling places reporting on Tuesday night.

“I am so grateful to the fifth district for their vote of confidence in this primary — with your support we will continue to fight for the issues important to all of us,” Sheehan said in a statement Tuesday night. “I look forward to earning your vote in November.”

Sheehan and Ladd will face each other again on November 8.

“I would like to sincerely thank my family and supporters for all of your help,” Ladd said in a statement posted to Facebook late Tuesday. “We will keep working hard as we head towards November.”

Who were the candidates in the primary?

Earlier this month, each of the candidates spoke with the Herald-Leader about their campaigns and views on issues in Lexington.

Sheehan, who beat incumbent Bill Farmer Jr. for the seat in 2020, is a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Kentucky. She received endorsements from Vice Mayor Steve Kay, former Lexington mayor and current Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray and several former council members.

“I know I’ve been effective,” she told the Herald-Leader last month. “I have been able to work for my neighborhoods to resolve some of the long-standing issues that they have had before them. Whether it’s street repairs, or code enforcement, or wanting to even do something as simple as organize a neighborhood association, the things that I have been able to work on are the things that affect people’s everyday lives.”

Ladd, a lawyer and owner of health shake company Shake It, and Hillenmeyer, owner of a real estate company and former business executive, were both seeking elected office for the first time.

Ladd raised the most campaign funds of the candidates, more than $91,000 as of May 4, according to financial reports. Ladd said he sees the support he received as an endorsement of his 7-point plan for Lexington.

“It’s a very clear plan,” Ladd said. “It’s intended to move the needle and enhance the lives of everyone within the entire community, especially the 5th district, with issues-oriented solutions, and I feel really good about that.”

Hillenmeyer said her background in business will help with managing Lexington’s budget.

“I’ve spent 25 years in a business environment in the corporate world. My strong suit is problem-solving, reducing costs and increasing revenue. I was a problem-solver, and I feel like I can apply that to our budget,” she said.