The Ballot Brief
Calloway County, Kentucky

Calloway County Judge-Executive

3 candidates are tracked for Calloway County Judge-Executive on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Paul Rister, Gidget Manning and Boone Fenton Chambers. Candidate information follows official Calloway County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Paul Rister, the sitting 4th District magistrate, won the Republican primary over incumbent Judge-Executive Kenny Imes, 61.49% to 38.51%, per the Murray Ledger & Times. He faces independents Gidget Manning and Boone Fenton Chambers in November, per the county clerk's official general-election candidate list. Neither independent is a current county officeholder, per the county's elected-officials roster.

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. Every voter in Calloway County votes on this seat.

Kentucky › Calloway County › Calloway County Judge-Executive

Paul Rister

Republican

Top priorities

  • Set a four-year county vision with measurable goals
  • Responsible budgeting
  • Road, bridge, and courthouse maintenance

Per the WKMS.

Biography

Paul Rister is a retired 30-year Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife employee who is serving his second term as the county's 4th District magistrate, per WKMS. He won the May 2026 Republican primary in the judge-executive race over incumbent Kenny Imes. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Paul Rister.

Gidget Manning

Independent

Biography

Gidget Manning is an independent candidate for Calloway County Judge-Executive. A Calloway County native, she served as a county employee for seven years in multiple roles before working as an instructional assistant for special education, per the Murray Ledger & Times. As the county's Certified Grant Administrator, she wrote grants that brought the county more than $100,000, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Boone Fenton Chambers

Independent

Biography

Boone Fenton Chambers is an independent candidate for Calloway County Judge-Executive. He is a local business owner and small farmer, and a former restaurant operator and current retail chain owner, per the Murray Ledger & Times. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Next on your ballotCalloway County Clerk

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Calloway County Judge-Executive in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Calloway County Judge-Executive on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Paul Rister, Gidget Manning and Boone Fenton Chambers. Candidate information follows official Calloway County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Calloway County Judge-Executive election in Kentucky?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Kentucky are on the Kentucky election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Calloway County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Calloway County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Kentucky election office, or see the full Calloway County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Calloway County ballot

20 tracked races in Calloway County, Kentucky. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Calloway County SheriffCalloway County JailerCalloway County AttorneySee all 20 Calloway County races
Candidate profiles
Paul Rister, full profileGidget Manning, full profileBoone Fenton Chambers, full profileOfficial Kentucky election office