Kentucky › Franklin County › Franklin County Magistrate - 5th District
2 candidates are tracked for Franklin County Magistrate - 5th District on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Richard Tanner and John Hibbard. Candidate information follows official Franklin County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Richard Tanner, the incumbent, filed for the Democratic nomination and faced no primary opponent, per the Franklin County Clerk's candidate filings and the State Journal. John Hibbard filed for the Republican nomination and also faced no primary opponent. Tanner and Hibbard meet in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Tanner is the sitting Fifth District Magistrate on the Franklin County Fiscal Court, seeking re-election to a second term, per Richard Tanner campaign site. Tanner is a military veteran and Murray State University graduate who spent more than 20 years as executive director of the Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association, per Richard Tanner campaign site.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Increased funding and modern equipment for first responders
- Completing water and sewer infrastructure revitalization in the Farmdale area
- Supporting affordable housing initiatives in downtown and other areas of the district
Source: candidate campaign site.
Campaign site →
Hibbard is the Republican nominee for Franklin County Magistrate, 5th District, facing Democratic incumbent Richard Tanner in the November 2026 general election, per The State Journal. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026.
