There are 13 Metro Council seats up for grabs this year, and incumbents from more than a third of them aren't seeking re-election.
On November 6, Louisville residents will vote for representatives for all the odd-numbered districts. The filing deadline was Tuesday, and by Wednesday, five sitting council members had announced they would not seek re-election.
Those five members include three Democrats: Mary Woolridge of District 3, Vicki Aubrey Welch of District 13 and Marianne Butler of District 15. Two Republicans will also vacate their seats. They are mayoral hopeful Angela Leet of District 7 and former state senator Julie Denton of District 19.
Butler, who had filed for re-election, announced in a statement that she was withdrawing from the race on Wednesday. Several Democrats filed to run in the days leading up to the deadline.
"You know, you just gotta know when it's time to move on," Butler told WFPL.
For her seat, Butler said she will endorse Kevin Triplett, a former legislative assistant to District 13’s Welch, who is retiring this year.
"He has lived in the community a long time, he's been active in the community a long time, he worked in government for some time and I think he could pick up the ball and move with it and can help the people," she said.
Here's how the Metro Council races are shaping up, according to filings with the Jefferson County Election Center:
District 1: Democrat Jessica Green is running for re-election following her first term. She has one Democratic challenger.
District 3: Two Democrats are running for the seat that will be vacated by longtime councilwoman Woolridge.
District 5: Cheri Bryant Hamilton, chair of the council's majority caucus for 2018, will run again. She has three challengers, two Democrats and a Republican.
District 7: Two Democrats and two Republicans are vying for Leet's seat.
District 9: Incumbent Democrat Bill Hollander is running unopposed.
District 11: Republican Kevin Kramer is seeking re-election, and will face a Democratic opponent.
District 13: One Democrat and one Republican are running to replace Welch.
District 15: There are seven people seeking the District 15 seat. Two of them are Republicans, and five are Democrats, including Butler's pick, Triplett.
District 17: Incumbent Republican Glen Stuckel will face one Democratic challenger in his re-election effort.
District 19: One Republican and one Democrat are seeking this seat.
District 21: Recently-appointed Democratic councilman Vitalis Lanshima will seek re-election. His challengers include Democrat Nicole George, who was among those seeking to fill the vacancy in this district late last year. He will face another Democrat and a Republican as well.
District 23: Republican James Peden, who was first elected to Metro Council in 2002, will run unopposed.
District 25: Former Metro Council president David Yates will run again, and will face one Republican opponent.
KyCIR's Jake Ryan contributed to this report.
