Laurel County judge rules London Mayor Randall Weddle cannot run for re-election because he does not live in city limits

A Laurel County judge ruled on Tuesday that London Mayor Randall Weddle is ineligible to be a candidate in the town’s upcoming mayoral election because he lives outside London city limits, according to a report by Kentucky Lantern.

The decision means Weddle cannot appear on the ballot as a candidate for the mayoral race, the report said, setting up a change in the candidates who may be listed under local election procedures tied to legal eligibility. The ruling centers on residency requirements rather than campaign conduct or issues debated in the race itself.

Kentucky Lantern reported that the case raised questions about whether the mayor’s place of residence meets the jurisdictional threshold for holding municipal office and for seeking re-election. Under Kentucky law and common election requirements, the right to run for local office is tied to statutory residency rules, and the court concluded Weddle did not satisfy those requirements as applied to London’s city boundaries.

The report characterized Weddle’s situation as an “outside the city limit” issue, and it framed the ruling as an eligibility determination made by the court. While the Kentucky Lantern report did not lay out every evidentiary detail in the summary, it indicated that the court’s conclusion was based on where Weddle lives rather than any other factor.

As a practical matter, the ruling affects how London’s mayoral election may be administered, including what candidate names will be eligible to be certified for the ballot if election officials follow the court’s decision. If ballot placement has already begun or if deadlines remain pending, the court’s order is likely to be a key reference point for local election administration.

The decision also raises questions for voters about continuity of leadership while the election proceeds. A residency-based ineligibility ruling changes the field of candidates and can shift how campaigns and debates unfold for issues such as city services, local budgeting priorities, and public works planning, all of which are typically advanced through elected leadership.

The Kentucky Lantern report did not, in its summary, specify whether any further appeals were filed or planned. If the mayor seeks review, the timing and outcome of any appellate process could determine whether the eligibility question is revisited before votes are cast or whether the ruling remains controlling for the upcoming election.