The city of Leitchfield elected a new mayor and three new city council members on Tuesday.
In a fiercely fought battle for Leitchfield mayor, former councilman Harold Miller defeated incumbent Mayor Rick Embry by over 22 percentage points (61.1 percent to 38.9 percent) and 337 votes – 928 to 591 — to become the new mayor.
Embry, while being elected mayor in 2018, received 883 votes.
“With a grateful heart I want to thank the citizens of Leitchfield for entrusting me with your vote,” Miller said. “I also want to thank my friends and family who helped with my campaign. I will work tirelessly to earn your respect and serve the city with honor.”
Miller added, “I want to thank Mayor Embry for his service to our city and wish him the best.”
Three new Leitchfield City Council members elected
The six-seat Leitchfield City Council race, contested by a dozen candidates, saw the highest vote receiver, incumbent Billy Dallas, earn 684 votes, only 39 more votes than the sixth place finisher, incumbent Raymond “Tooty” Cottrell, who received 645 votes.
Finishing with the second highest number of votes was newcomer Jeanna Carnes with 672 votes, followed by newly elected Dennis Fentress (660), newly elected Terri Haycraft (655), and incumbent James Clayton Miller (649).
Losing bids for reelection to the city council were longtime incumbent council member Margie Decker (529) and one-term incumbent council member Jessica Embry (605).
Incumbent Carl “Moon” Smith did not run for reelection.
Dallas, by virtue of receiving the most votes, will serve as Mayor Pro Tem.
Embry reelected mayor of Caneyville
Incumbent Caneyville Mayor James Embry won reelection by a comfortable margin, 101 votes to 35, over challenger Tim Dotson.
The citizens of Caneyville elected all incumbents in the city commissioner race, as Mike Geary earned the most votes with 97, followed by Deborah Embry (93), Christopher Piercy (89), and Scott Majors (88).
Piercy was appointed in March 2022 to fill the city commission seat left vacant by the death of longtime Commissioner Janice Minton.
Turnout
Voter turnout was higher than in most non-presidential election voting cycles, as 42.9 percent of eligible Grayson County voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s General Election – 8,051 ballots cast vs. 18,764 registered voters.
For complete 2022 General Election results click here.
(Photo: New Leitchfield Mayor Harold Miller with his wife, Becky)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
