Justin Charles
Republican
Biography
Justin Charles is an electrician who has never held elected office. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Justin Charles.
Clark County, Kentucky
Clark County Judge-Executive
Clark County, Kentucky
Clark County Judge-Executive
2 candidates are tracked for Clark County Judge-Executive on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Justin Charles and Vache King. Candidate information follows official Clark County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
About this race
This is an open seat; the sitting Judge-Executive, RJ Palmer, per the county government's official website, did not file for re-election. Justin Charles won a four-way Republican primary with 35.51% of the vote over Steve Craycraft, Shannon Cox, and Eric R. Vetter, per the Winchester Sun. He meets Democratic nominee Vache King, who was unopposed in her primary, in November, per WinCity Voices.
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 Clark County votes on this seat.