Kentucky › Kenton County › Kenton County Sheriff
2 candidates are tracked for Kenton County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Larry Shelton and Tom Collins. Candidate information follows official Kenton County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Larry Shelton (Republican) faces Tom Collins (Democratic) on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Kenton County Clerk's official 2026 General Ballot Draw. This is an open seat: sitting Sheriff Jude Hehman, who had been appointed by County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann to fill out the remainder of a predecessor's term, lost the May 19, 2026 Republican primary to Shelton, per LINK nky.
Republican
Larry Shelton is an attorney with a law enforcement background who retired in 2018 from the Kenton County Police after 20 years, per LINK nky. He previously worked for the Kentucky State Police and lives in Independence. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026.
Democratic
Tom Collins is the former Newport, Kentucky Chief of Police who has worked in other police departments and public safety agencies, per LINK nky. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026.