JCPS Board Seats Go to Voters Tuesday Under New Law
Louisville voters will choose all five seats at once, so review each candidate's answers before you cast your ballot.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Administration
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Jefferson County Public Schools voters will see a new school board on the ballot Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with dozens of candidates competing for five seats. Kentucky Senate Bill 4 put every JCPS board seat up for election at the same time and reduced the board from seven members to five.
Why it matters
Because every seat is open at once under Senate Bill 4, Louisville-area families and taxpayers will be choosing an almost entirely new board, and three current members are running again. The restructuring of the board is the change that shapes how district decisions on spending, achievement and transparency will be made going forward.
Five seats are up for grabs on the restructured board, down from seven under the prior structure. WDRB+WAVE sent the same eight questions to every candidate, covering student achievement, district spending, transparency and trust with taxpayers, and each candidate's education or business background.
The players
Jefferson County Public Schools
The Louisville-area public school district whose board is being restructured and elected under the new rules.
WDRB+WAVE
The Louisville television and news outlet that sent the same eight questions to every candidate.
Trevin Bass
A current JCPS board member running for re-election on the restructured board.
Gail Logan Strange
A current JCPS board member running for re-election on the restructured board.
Taylor Everett
A current JCPS board member running for re-election on the restructured board.
The details
Senate Bill 4, passed by Kentucky lawmakers, did two things at once: it put every JCPS board seat up for election on the same ballot and reduced the board from seven members to five. As a result, voters are choosing from a field of dozens of candidates for a single set of seats rather than staggered terms. WDRB+WAVE asked each candidate the same eight questions so readers can compare answers directly, and several candidates in each district did not respond by publication.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: JCPS school board election, when voters choose five seats.
The Home Front
Under Kentucky Senate Bill 4, the Jefferson County school board moves from seven seats to five and every seat is contested at the same time, a structural change rather than a routine turnover. For Louisville homeowners and renters, school board composition is part of the local tax and district-spending picture that shapes property values in each attendance area.
If you live in Jefferson County Public Schools' attendance area, check your district's assigned board district before Tuesday and compare the candidates' answers to the eight questions WDRB+WAVE published. Keep a note of which candidates did not respond, since their positions are not reported in the same way.
The takeaway
Because every seat on the JCPS board is open at once, the November 3 vote will reshape the whole board rather than replace a single member, so it is worth reviewing the candidate responses before you vote. Keep your voter registration and polling location handy for Tuesday.
Further reading
For how district leadership and governance decisions take shape, see Administration in our education coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wdrbwave.
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