I keep seeing references to mayoral candidates identifying their party affiliation even though these races are supposed to be nonpartisan. How does this actually work in Lexington elections?

Lexington's mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, but candidates can still have party affiliations. So what you're seeing is perfectly normal. For instance, our current mayor Linda Gorton is a Republican, but that's not what appears on the ballot when people vote for mayor.

So the ballot itself doesn't show party labels next to their names?

Exactly right. The ballot just lists the candidates' names without any party designation. This is actually how most of the nation's largest cities handle mayoral elections — they're officially nonpartisan, but many officeholders still have political party affiliations. It's just that the formal election structure doesn't highlight those party connections.

But then how do voters know where candidates stand politically if it's not on the ballot?

Well, that's where things get interesting. Endorsements become particularly helpful for voters trying to decide between candidates in these nonpartisan races, since they help voters better understand policy differences when there might not be much other news coverage. Plus, candidates often make their party affiliations known through their campaigns, media coverage, and public statements. It's not a secret — it's just not formally part of the ballot structure.

That makes sense. So it's more about separating the formal election process from the political affiliations that naturally exist.

Right. And it's worth noting that we have our mayoral primary coming up on May nineteenth, where all registered voters — regardless of their own party registration — can participate in the nonpartisan mayoral race. So unlike partisan primaries where you have to be registered with that party, anyone can weigh in on who makes it to the November general election for mayor.

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