Perry County judge-executive candidates outline priorities at public forum

Candidates for Perry County judge-executive from both parties met at the Perry County Library on April 28 and used a public forum, sponsored by WSGS, Invision Hazard and several local businesses, to outline their priorities as the May 19 primary approached.

The office at stake carries broad authority in county government. Kentucky county judge/executives serve as the county’s chief executive, administrative and fiscal officers, and the Perry County Fiscal Court oversees the budget, county roads, county parks, public safety and other services that shape daily life. In 1975, the county judge’s role shifted from a judicial office to the executive and fiscal post it is today. That change left the position at the center of how Perry County handles routine operations, project coordination and relationships with state and regional partners.

That responsibility lands in a county where population and income figures sharpen the stakes. Perry County had 28,473 residents in the 2020 census, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population at 26,555 for July 1, 2025. Median household income and poverty indicators remain below national averages, which makes decisions on roads, service delivery and county spending especially consequential. The county seat is Hazard, and Democrat Scott Alexander is identified as the sitting judge-executive.

The forum also came after key election deadlines. Candidate filing for the 2026 primary closed Jan. 9, voter registration for the primary ended April 20, and the online absentee mail-in ballot request portal ran from April 4 through May 5 at 11:59 p.m. With the primary set for May 19, the April 28 gathering gave voters one more chance to compare leadership styles before ballots are cast. Across Kentucky, 328 judge-executive candidates filed in the 2026 primary cycle, underscoring how closely watched county executive races have become. In Perry County, the library forum offered a direct look at who wants to steer the county’s budget, roads and public services in the years ahead.