Click the county below to jump to a list of winners:
Numerous mayoral seats in the Northern Kentucky region were up for grabs this year. Several of the region’s major population centers, including Florence, Erlanger, Fort Thomas and Independence saw contested races, along with some of the smaller cities.
Mayors are the central executives of city governments. Mayoral power, like legislative power, is dependent upon the type of government the city uses.
Mayors always serve four-year terms.
So, who won in your city? Check out a list of the winners in the region’s contested races below. Winners are set off in bold text. All figures are results as of election night, Nov. 3, 2026.
You can find full lists of every race in each county, including the uncontested mayoral races, at LINK nky’s Election HQ
Boone County Florence
Candidate Vote Count Julie Metzger Aubuchon 3,882 David Rose 3,235
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Florence Mayor Julie Metzger Aubuchon. Photo provided | Julie Metzger Aubuchon
Union
Candidate Vote Count Chris Courtney 1,333 John Mefford 1,405
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
John Mefford. Photo provided | John Mefford campaign
Walton
Candidate Vote Count Gabriel “Gabe” Brown 344 Terri Courtney 909
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Terri Lynn Courtney. Photo by Emma Balcom | LINK nky
Campbell County Fort Thomas
Candidate Vote Count Andy Ellison 3,329 Sharon MacKnight 3,354
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Sharon MacKnight for Fort Thomas Mayor. Photo provided | Sharon MacKnight
Southgate
Candidate Vote Count Jim Hamberg 498 Mark Messmer 704
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Mark Messmer for Southgate Mayor. Photo provided | Southgate’s website
Kenton County Crescent Springs
Candidate Vote Count Brian Barclay 605 Jeff Smith 620
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Jeff Smith. Photo provided | Jeff Smith
Edgewood
Candidate Vote Count John Link 2,179 Michael Thelen 1,109
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Edgewood Mayor John Link at a community event in 2025. Photo provided | The City of Edgewood
Elsmere
Candidate Vote Count Eric Bunzow 775 Martin “Marty” Lenhof 788
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Mayor Marty Lenhof. Hailey Roden | LINK nky
Erlanger
Candidate Vote Count Jessica Fette 2,877 Diana Niceley 2,821
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette. Photo provided | Steve Ellis
Independence
Candidate Vote Count Carol Franzen 3,961 Kevin Stambaugh II 1,362 Greg Steffen 2,152
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Independence mayoral candidate Carol Franzen outside of the historic Kenton County Courthouse in Independence. Photo provided | Carol Franzen
Lakeside Park
Candidate Vote Count Paul Markgraf 611 Jim Wilson 408
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Incumbent Lakeside Park Mayor Paul Markgraf. Photo provided | The City of Lakeside Park
Ludlow
Candidate Vote Count Paul Miller 181 Julia Terry Navarre 440 Sarah Thompson 640
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Sarah Thompson. Photo provided | Sarah Thompson
Park Hills
Candidate Vote Count David Costas 533 Kathy Zembrodt 638
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Kathy Zembrodt. Photo provided | Kathy Zembrodt
Taylor Mill
Candidate Vote Count Michael Blackburn 905 Daniel “Dan” Bell 1,248
Data provided | Kenton County Board of Elections. Table by Nathan Granger
Taylor Mill incumbent Mayor Dan Bell at a parade in 2022. Photo provided | Dan Bell
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