Christian County voters have several options for casting a ballot in the May primary, which has a number of contested Republican and Democratic races at the city, county and federal levels.
Absentee and early voting
Voters with a qualifying reason
The first option is absentee in-person voting from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13 at the Christian County Courthouse on South Main Street. This is for those with a qualifying reason to show they cannot vote on Election Day (such as a scheduled surgery or a work assignment that requires them to be out of town). See a list of qualifying reasons here.
All registered voters
Any registered voter may use early voting (no qualifying reason required) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14, 15 and 16 at the following locations:
- Senior Citizen Center: 1402 W. Seventh St., Hopkinsville
- Boys & Girls Club (Walnut Street Center): 1600 S. Walnut St., Hopkinsville
- James Bruce Convention Center: 303 Conference Center Drive, Hopkinsville
Voting centers on Election Day
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Primary Election Day — Tuesday, May 19 — at 13 voting centers in Christian County. Regardless of their home address, voters may go to any of the following voting centers:
- Christian County Courthouse: 511 S. Main St., Hopkinsville
- Senior Citizen Center: 1402 W. Seventh St., Hopkinsville
- Sinking Fork Baptist Church: 5800 Princeton Road, Hopkinsville
- New Palestine Baptist Church: 9997 Dawson Springs Road, Crofton
- Crofton Tornado Safe Room: 13511 N. Old Madisonville Road, Crofton
- New Barren Springs Baptist Church: 5012 Dogwood Kelly Road, Hopkinsville
- Boys & Girls Club (Walnut Street Center): 1600 S. Walnut St., Hopkinsville
- Inspire Learning Academy: 313 Blane Drive, Hopkinsville
- Indian Hills Elementary School: 434 Koffman Drive, Hopkinsville
- James Bruce Convention Center: 303 Conference Center Drive, Hopkinsville
- South Christian Elementary School: 12340 Herndon Oak Grove Road, Herndon
- Oak Grove Community Center: 1705 Thompsonville Lane, Oak Grove
- Pembroke Baptist Church: 144 S. Main St., Pembroke
Voters can visit the Kentucky Voter Information Center online to confirm their voter registration information. Additional information about voting is available on the Christian County Clerk’s website.
On the ballot
Republican races
Christian County registered Republicans will receive a ballot with the following races:
U.S. Senate — The race is for the seat currently held by Mitch McConnell, who is retiring. There are 12 Republicans listed on the ballot; however, Nate Morris has withdrawn from the race. The two presumed front-runners, U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, are set to participate in a Paducah Chamber of Commerce forum on Friday, May 8.
First Congressional District — Incumbent James Comer has three GOP challengers — Penny Arcos, David Sims and Robert James Sutherby.
Christian County Property Valuation Administrator — Tabitha Pryor Strader and Amber Ezell are vying for the office.
Christian County Sheriff — Tyler DeArmond, the incumbent, faces challenger Erik Pacheco.
Third District Magistrate — George Barnett, the incumbent, faces challenger Tana Loden.
Fifth District Magistrate — The incumbent, Rich Liebe, is not seeking reelection. Three Republicans vying are Jonathan Zordel, Austin Crawford and Virginia Hurt Erxleben.
Seventh District Magistrate — Incumbent Russ Guffey is not seeking reelection because he is a candidate for mayor; the candidates to replace him are Todd R. Morris and John Heltsley.
Eighth District Magistrate — John M. Bruce, the incumbent, faces challenger Lucas Stagner.
Hopkinsville Mayor — Incumbent James R. Knight Jr., who is seeking his second term in office, has two challengers — Christian County Fiscal Court Magistrate Russ Guffey and former Hopkinsville City Council member Sophia Natasha Francis.
Ward 1 Hopkinsville City Council — Chance Andrew Tatum challenges the incumbent, Vance D. Smith.
Ward 3 Hopkinsville City Council — The incumbent, Donald Marsh, has one challenger, Brandi Stallons.
Ward 9 Hopkinsville City Council — Incumbent Brittanie M. Bogard has one challenger, Jamie Lynn Lienberger, who previously served on the council.
Ward 10 Hopkinsville City Council — Michael Velez, the incumbent, faces Steve Keel, who previously held the council seat.
Democratic races
Voters registered as Democrats will decide two races:
U.S. Senate — There are seven candidates in the race to determine the Democratic nominee that will advance to the November general election. The presumed front-runners — former state representative Charles Booker, retired Marine pilot Amy McGrath and Kentucky House Minority Leader Pamela Stevenson — participated in the Paducah Chamber of Commerce forum on April 27.
Hopkinsville City Council Ward 9 — Three candidates are running to determine the Democratic nominee that will advance to the November general election. They are Ardell Glenn Owens, Duane Shepard and Monica Love.
Additional mayoral candidates
The winner in the Republican primary for Hopkinsville mayor will face a challenge in the November general election. Markeeta Wilkerson, who previously ran but did not win a city council race in 2024, is running for mayor as the lone Democrat. Also, Desaepa Vansauwa previously said he will be an Independent candidate for mayor.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
