BereaNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Berea Mayor & City Council Election 2026

8 of 8 council seats are on the ballot, with 16 candidates running. Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

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The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council

Vote for up to 8

The mayor's office and all eight council seats are on the ballot. Voters may choose up to eight council candidates, and the top eight vote-getters win two-year terms.

Election Day · Nov 3

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

What the next council decides

01Flock license plate cameras3 sourced facts

Where it standsBerea has license plate readers at 10 locations, and the mayor has asked police and the city administrator to review the city's Flock contract and options before any council discussion.

What's on the tableWhether the council keeps, restricts or ends the city's Flock Safety camera contract.

  • Automatic license plate readers were installed at 10 locations across Berea in spring 2024. The Edge · Oct 2, 2026
  • Mayor Bruce Fraley said at a candidate forum that he asked the police chief, assistant chief and city administrator to gather information on Flock, including the city's obligations and options. The Edge · Oct 2, 2026
  • As of The Edge's report, Fraley confirmed in an email that no public council discussion of the cameras had been set. The Edge · Oct 2, 2026
02Restaurant tax and Berea Tourism3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city's 3% restaurant tax funds Berea Tourism, and candidates at a September forum mostly said they would keep it but look at how it is spent.

What's on the tableWhether the council keeps the restaurant tax and how its revenue is directed.

03Indoor recreation center2 sourced facts

Where it standsMayor Fraley announced in his August 2026 State of the City address that the city is exploring an indoor recreation center, to be developed over the next year.

What's on the tableWhether the council supports and funds an indoor community recreation center, including any use of city reserves.

  • Fraley said revenues have exceeded expenditures for seven budget years and that the city should look at its reserves to invest in an indoor recreation facility. City of Berea · Sep 2, 2026
  • Fraley said the process of forging a plan for the center is underway and will be fleshed out over the next year. City of Berea · Sep 2, 2026
04Growth and housing2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council has recently approved zoning changes, including allowing manufactured homes in all residential districts as required by state law.

What's on the tableHow the next council handles rezonings, housing types and development as Berea grows.

05City budget, taxes and employee pay3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted the fiscal year 2026-27 budget with a 4% cost-of-living raise and separate hazardous duty pay scales, and passed a property tax levy in September.

What's on the tableHow the next council sets pay, spending and tax rates in coming budgets.

2 notes on these statements

Council members Teresa Scenters and Jerry Little are not seeking re-election. The Edge · Jun 3, 2026

The September 24 candidate town hall was held by the Berea Restaurant Association. Katie Startzman, Steve Caudill, Barry Poynter, Allison "Ali" Blair and Troy Lane did not attend. The Berea Citizen · Sep 30, 2026

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. What should Berea do about its Flock license plate cameras?

  2. 2. What should Berea do with its 3% restaurant tax?

  3. 3. Should Berea build an indoor recreation center?

  4. 4. How should Berea handle housing as the city grows?

  5. 5. How should the city set pay for its employees?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted4 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.New · How Berea is runWho runs Berea, and what it costsWho the city manager is, council pay, whether the city is in the red, and where your property tax goes.

Key dates

The seat math

0 stay (not up this year): 8 on this ballot

8 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 5-vote majority.

  • Berea uses a Mayor-City Council form of government with a mayor and eight council members; the mayor is elected for a four-year term and council members for two-year terms. City of Berea
  • In mayor-council plan cities in Kentucky, the mayor presides over the legislative body but may vote only to break a tie. Kentucky LRC
  • The top eight vote-getters in November take their council seats in January 2027 and serve two years before the next election. The Edge · Jun 3, 2026
  • The City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the City Annex building at 304 Chestnut Street. City of Berea
  • The mayor's position is part-time, and the city administrator, appointed by a majority vote of the council, is the chief administrative officer. City of Berea

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