2026 Kentucky General Election

About Mayor Linda Gorton | City of Lexington, Kentucky

Linda Gorton earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Kentucky. She lives with her husband, Charlie, and has two adult children and five grandchildren. 

Linda Gorton- 2018 Candidate Questionnaire

Linda is a retired registered nurse. She worked in a U.S. Army field hospital.

Linda Gorton - Ballotpedia

Linda currently serves as the Mayor of Lexington, Kentucky. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her second term. She previously served as a city council member for the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council from 1999-2015.

As a city council member, initiated a city-school communication and support network to better advocate for teachers and public employees.

- As a city council member, initiated a city-school communication and support network to better advocate for teachers and public employees.

Education

Supports affordable housing development to address homelessness.

Supports affordable housing development to address homelessness and job training for parents of homeless students.

Supports the expansion of Lexington’s Affordable Housing Program.

Plans to expand the scope of Lexington’s Affordable Housing Program.

Plans to create a reliable funding source for the Affordable Housing Program, reducing costs for developers and increasing housing stock.

Wants to dedicate a reliable funding source to the Affordable Housing Program, reducing costs for developers and increasing housing stock.

- Supports affordable housing development to address homelessness and job training for parents of homeless students.
- Plans to expand the scope of Lexington’s Affordable Housing Program.
- Wants to dedicate a reliable funding source to the Affordable Housing Program, reducing costs for developers and increasing housing stock.

Housing & Urban Development

Plans to address public safety by targeting drug dealers and violent offenders, using Lexington's resources for addiction treatment and rehabilitation, and identifying individuals at risk of addiction.

Supports a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to combat the opioid crisis, emphasizing prevention, education, empathy, and coordination with various sectors, while also supporting needle exchange programs to reduce disease spread and facilitate recovery.

Plans to make community policing standard practice and ensure diversity in hiring.

Will direct the public safety commissioner and chiefs to make community policing standard practice and ensure diversity in hiring.

Supports expanding the One Lexington program to promote neighborhood safety and at-risk youth mentoring.

Supports expanding the One Lexington program to promote neighborhood safety and at-risk youth mentoring while providing opportunities for incarcerated individuals.  

- Plans to address public safety by targeting drug dealers and violent offenders, using Lexington's resources for addiction treatment and rehabilitation, and identifying individuals at risk of addiction.
- Supports a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to combat the opioid crisis, emphasizing prevention, education, empathy, and coordination with various sectors, while also supporting needle exchange programs to reduce disease spread and facilitate recovery.
- Will direct the public safety commissioner and chiefs to make community policing standard practice and ensure diversity in hiring.
- Supports expanding the One Lexington program to promote neighborhood safety and at-risk youth mentoring while providing opportunities for incarcerated individuals.  

Public Safety

Will pursue a multifaceted approach to planning that revolves around promoting arts, culture, and tourism through ensuring safety at parks, green initiatives within existing buildings, and promoting accessible green space.

- Will pursue a multifaceted approach to planning that revolves around promoting arts, culture, and tourism through ensuring safety at parks, green initiatives within existing buildings, and promoting accessible green space.

Public Services

Seeks to address the rising congestion issues in Lexington by engaging with the state to find solutions, piloting smart traffic signals, and encouraging telecommuting.

- Seeks to address the rising congestion issues in Lexington by engaging with the state to find solutions, piloting smart traffic signals, and encouraging telecommuting.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Supports creating a comprehensive strategy to address labor gaps, retraining, and reentry programs to assist those struggling in the workforce.

Prioritizes creating a comprehensive strategy to address labor gaps, retraining, and reentry programs to assist those struggling in the workforce.

Supports creating strategic collaborations between city hall, regional and state partners, educational institutions, workforce and community agencies, economic development entities, and employers to better leverage resources and information and to effectively deliver training and education.

Vows to create strategic collaborations between city hall and various groups to better leverage resources and information and to effectively deliver training and education to residents.

Supports initiatives like the Minority Business Expo that assist minority-owned businesses.

- Prioritizes creating a comprehensive strategy to address labor gaps, retraining, and reentry programs to assist those struggling in the workforce.
- Vows to create strategic collaborations between city hall and various groups to better leverage resources and information and to effectively deliver training and education to residents.
- Supports initiatives like the Minority Business Expo that assist minority-owned businesses.

Economy

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Linda Gorton

Buket Urgen

Raquel Carter is from Lexington, Kentucky. She attended the University of Kentucky. She has a bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Kentucky. She lives with her husband and two children in the Chevy Chase neighborhood. She attends Christ Church Cathedral.

Lexington mayoral candidate says city isn't doing enough - FOX 56

Longtime real estate expert hopes to be Lexington's next mayor

Raquel Carter launches 'Listen to Lexington' mayoral campaign tour

Raquel is the CEO and principal broker of Guide Realty, Inc. She works at Guide Realty, Inc., where she helps people become first-time homeowners and build wealth through homeownership.

As of August 12, 2026, Raquel E. Carter’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports prioritizing affordable housing, starter homes, and multi-family units.

Believes in implementing a plan for building communities, not just units.

Supports reducing red tape for development.

- Supports prioritizing affordable housing, starter homes, and multi-family units.
- Believes in implementing a plan for building communities, not just units.
- Supports reducing red tape for development.

For Candidate Raquel Carter on Issue public-safety: Advocates for creating engaging opportunities for vulnerable groups at risk of violent situations.

Advocates for creating engaging opportunities for vulnerable groups at risk of violent situations.

- Advocates for creating engaging opportunities for vulnerable groups at risk of violent situations.

Supports ending the old way of doing things to lower costs, expand affordable housing, fix roads, and bring more industry and good jobs to the city.

- Supports ending the old way of doing things to lower costs, expand affordable housing, fix roads, and bring more industry and good jobs to the city.

Supports simplifying capital access for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Supports building a workforce development system that prepares residents for real, high-wage, high-demand careers.

Supports fully funding and expanding youth initiatives with proven success.

- Supports simplifying capital access for aspiring entrepreneurs.
- Supports building a workforce development system that prepares residents for real, high-wage, high-demand careers.
- Supports fully funding and expanding youth initiatives with proven success.

Raquel E. Carter

As of August 12, 2026, Raquel Carter’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Raquel Carter

- The duties of the mayor depend on the type of government within the city, 
- If the city has a mayor-council form of government, the mayor is responsible for the executive and administrative functions of the government. They oversee all city departments, but cannot vote in most council matters. 
- If the city has a mayor-aldermen form of government, the mayor is responsible for executing and enforcing local and state laws. The mayor may appoint city officials with approval from the aldermen. 
- If the city has a mayor-commission form of government, the mayor presides over the city commissioners and can vote within the commission. The mayor is responsible for executing all decisions reached by the commission. 
- If the city has a city manager form of government, the mayor presides over the city commissioners and can vote within the commission. The mayor is recognized as the head of the city department but does not have any regular administrative duties. 
- City mayors are elected during general elections for a four-year term. Most cities in Kentucky hold nonpartisan elections for mayor. 

Lexington Mayor

Candidates (2)