One candidate is tracked for District Judge, 5th Judicial District on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Ben Leonard. Candidate information follows official Union County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Ben Leonard is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Kentucky prints unopposed candidates, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Voters across the 5th Judicial District (Crittenden, Union, Webster) vote on this seat. Kentucky judicial elections are nonpartisan; a primary narrows the field only when three or more candidates file for a seat. Listed from the Kentucky Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate filings list.
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. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Ben Leonard, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.
Kentucky › Union County › District Judge, 5th Judicial District
Nonpartisan Incumbent
Ben Leonard has practiced law for nearly twenty years, handling criminal and civil matters in Crittenden, Union and Webster counties, Kentucky, per an archived campaign website. No current campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Who is running for District Judge, 5th Judicial District in 2026?
One candidate is tracked for District Judge, 5th Judicial District on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Ben Leonard. Candidate information follows official Union County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the District Judge, 5th Judicial District 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 Union 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.
Candidate roster from official Union County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Kentucky election office, or see the full Union County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
3 tracked races in Union County, Kentucky. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.