Fort Thomas voters elected six city council members on Tuesday following an 11-person race for the city’s six council seats.
Adam Blau, Steve Arey, Lauren Mcintosh, Mary Anne Brown, Allison Alessandro, Brandon Roller defeated Ken Bowman, Eric Strange, Ben Pendery, Bradley Fennell and Frances A. Hoffman, according to election results from the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office.
The winners will serve two-year terms beginning in January 2027. Fort Thomas City Council elections are nonpartisan, meaning candidates do not run with political party affiliations. Council members are elected citywide, rather than by individual districts, and there are no term limits on how many times they can serve.
The race featured five incumbents, Adam Blau, Brad Fennell, Lauren McIntosh, Ben Pendery and Eric Strange, and six challengers: Allison Alessandro, Brandon Roller, Steve Arey, Ken Bowman, Mary Anne Brown and Frances Hoffman.
Campbell County Results
The election followed a period of controversy surrounding the city’s financial oversight and council leadership, including a forensic audit that looked at accounting discrepancies and disagreements over the appointment of a council member.
The city’s financial practices came under scrutiny after a 2025 audit revealed accounting problems and an initial discrepancy of approximately $322,000. A subsequent forensic audit identified a larger discrepancy of approximately $847,000 involving the city’s accounting records.
City officials said the discrepancies resulted from accounting errors, including missing or delayed entries, incomplete payroll records and failures to complete monthly bank reconciliations. The forensic audit found no evidence of fraud or theft.
In response, the city implemented several changes to its financial oversight practices, including monthly bank reconciliations, additional reviews of financial transactions and more frequent financial reporting to city council. Officials have maintained that the city’s overall financial condition remains strong despite the accounting problems.
The financial concerns were reflected in several candidates’ campaigns. Some emphasized restoring public trust, improving transparency and strengthening oversight of taxpayer dollars, while others highlighted responsible spending, maintaining city services and preserving Fort Thomas’ quality of life.
Other issues raised during the campaign included managing future development, protecting neighborhoods, maintaining parks and public safety and improving communication between residents and city officials.
The November election followed a May primary in which 15 candidates competed for the six seats. Twelve advanced to the general election, but Brandon Long withdrew in May, leaving 11 candidates on the November ballot.
The election determined the makeup of the six-member council through the end of 2028. Council members will work alongside the city’s mayor on decisions involving municipal spending, infrastructure, development and other local government priorities.
Readers can find more information about the winning candidates through LINK nky’s 2026 Election HQ candidate profiles.
