Workers begin construction of the first floor of MXWL at East Maxwell Street in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Christian Kantosky/The Watchdog

Kentucky’s primary ballot houses over 50 names across numerous positions up for election this year.

Missing from the ballot is that of possible laws or policies for the people of Kentucky to vote on. 

Typically seen as a written law or statute, policy is not simply words on a piece of paper that enforce a certain rule, but a course of action aimed to aid or solve a given problem.

While no Kentuckians will be checking a “yes” or “no” box beside a proposed law on May 19, there is still policy to be considered when casting a vote.

Every year candidates are asked, “what would you do to fix this issue?” Similar to past years, two of the constant policy issues that circulate through election years are housing and crime.

Housing

There is a shortage of about 22,000 housing units in Lexington, mayoral candidate Raquel Carter said at the Lexington Urban mayoral forum in mid-April.

The city has a home ownership rate of 53.8% compared to the national rate of about 65%, according to moderator and WKYT anchor Madison Carmouche, leaving the city more than 10% behind the American average.

“Even when you do all the right things right now, you cannot afford to buy a house,” Carter said at the forum.

Numerous candidates at the forum said fixing the housing crisis in Lexington starts with assessing the job market and getting people into higher paid jobs.

Mayoral candidate Darnell Tagaloa attributed the shortfall to a lack of “financial opportunities,” noting that minimum wage in Kentucky is $7.50 and that most non-homeowners make less than median salary of “what it takes to become a homeowner.”

The city has paired with organizations in the past such as WORK-Lexington to assist in the job application process. According to its website, Lexington for Everyone is another organization working to improve the city’s housing crisis with 30 By 30, a campaign that aims to create 30,000 homes by 2030.

Crime 

A long-standing promise to the people of Lexington has been the reduction of crime, and that still rings true this year.

In 2025, there was a 10.8% decrease in violent crime and a 7.9% decrease in property crime. An emphasis on the city initiative ONE Lexington, which utilizes city initiatives to address young adult gun violence, has been a theme amongst candidates. 

Incumbent Mayor Linda Gorton said the effort of the city during her time in office has had “terrific success lowering the number” when it came to crime in Lexington.

Partnering with nonprofit organizations and initiatives, Gorton said, has been a help to the city and something that should be continued to keep the numbers trending down.

On April 22, a “significant milestone” was reached when Lexington officially passed the benchmark of 75 days without a homicide. 

“It’s an ongoing battle,” mayoral candidate Greg O’Neal said at the forum. “The problem (violence) is something that you can’t stop. It’s just going to be something you have to maintain.”

O’Neal said solutions to reduce and maintain a steady rate of low crime include giving resources to the police, city leaders and the citizens to attack what he said he sees as the root of the problem in alcohol and drugs.