Graves County, Kentucky

Graves County Judge/Executive

One candidate is tracked for Graves County Judge/Executive on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Todd Hayden. Candidate information follows official Graves County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Todd Hayden won the Republican primary with 2,097 votes (about 50 percent), ahead of Dale A. Usher (1,983) and Cody Jones (157), per the Kentucky State Board of Elections' certified Graves County primary canvass and WKMS. No Democrat filed, so Hayden is unopposed in November. The seat is open: incumbent Judge/Executive Jesse Perry, an independent, did not seek re-election, per WKMS.

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 Graves County votes on this seat. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

Kentucky › Graves County › Graves County Judge/Executive

Todd Hayden

Republican

Biography

Todd Hayden is the Republican nominee for Graves County Judge/Executive and is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. He is a longtime Graves County commissioner, having represented the 3rd District for about 15 years, and ran for judge/executive rather than seek re-election to the commission, per WKMS and the Paducah Sun. His background is in sales, and he chairs the Fancy Farm Picnic and the Fancy Farm Water and Sewer Board, per the Graves County government website. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Todd Hayden.

Next on your ballotGraves County Clerk

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Graves County Judge/Executive in 2026?

When is the Graves 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 Graves 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 Graves County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Graves County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Graves County Sheriff Graves County Jailer Graves County Attorney See all 18 Graves County races

Candidate profiles

Todd Hayden, full profile Official Kentucky election office