Truth To Power | Non-partisan Louisville Mayoral Candidate Forum | 5-15-26

This week on Truth to Power, we get you ready for the Primary Election here in Louisville taking place on Tuesday, May 19th (with early voting already underway!). Back on the evening of April 14th at Central High School, a Candidate Forum was held for Louisville's first-ever non-partisan Mayoral race. Eight candidates vying to become Louisville’s next mayor participated to discuss their priorities and values. For the first time this year, the races for Louisville mayor and Metro Council are nonpartisan. Louisville Public Media, the Louisville Urban League and WDRB collaborated on this public forum to hear from candidates for mayor. Unlike in past years, every mayoral candidate will appear on all Jefferson County ballots in a nonpartisan section. The two who receive the most votes will move on to the general election in November. Kenya Young, the President and CEO of Louisville Public Media, co-moderated this Mayoral Candidate Forum with Gilbert Corsey of WDRB. All active candidates were invited to participate and eight did. Since then, one participant, Jeff Yocum, bowed out of the race. Two other candidates – Bill Wells and JusAustin Lane – previously withdrew. The candidates introduced themselves to the live audience at Central High School and responded to questions on a number of topics including affordable housing, data centers, police, public safety and business and development. Candidates from across the political spectrum attended the forum, and many were united in their criticism of incumbent Democratic Mayor Craig Greenberg, who did not attend. The full list of candidates who appeared at the forum includes: Lisa Holliday Harris Tina Burnell Matthew Solomon Bailey Jeff Yocum (withdrawn) Bob DeVore Stephen Dattilo Jody Hurt Shameka Parrish-Wright Early, no-excuse voting is taking place May 14-16 and primary election day is May 19. Find polling locations and sample ballots at https://GoVote.ky.gov You can watch the entire, un-edited two-hour forum at https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-05-11/watch-louisville-mayoral-candidates-take-part-in-forum-ahead-of-primary-election Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org