Petition filed seeking to remove JCPS school board candidate from ballot; Gay Perry-Adelmann says she will fight

A petition has been filed seeking to remove Gay Perry-Adelmann from the ballot for a Jefferson County Public Schools school board race, according to Louisville Public Media, reporting July 15, 2026. The filing sets up another test of how Kentucky election rules are applied to candidate access to the ballot, a process that can determine who voters are able to choose in the first place.

Louisville Public Media reported that the petition effort centers on whether Perry-Adelmann should appear on the ballot for the JCPS board contest. The reporting describes the move as part of a push to disqualify her from the ballot rather than a campaign challenge after votes are cast.

In response, Perry-Adelmann said she would fight the effort to remove her from the ballot. Louisville Public Media reported that she characterized the petition as an attempt to interfere with the ballot access process and said she plans to pursue challenges through the legal or administrative steps available for election matters.

Ballot-access disputes like this typically turn on questions about compliance with filing requirements and any other eligibility criteria tied to how candidates qualify to run. When a petition is filed, election officials and, in some cases, courts may be asked to determine whether the request meets procedural thresholds and whether it identifies a basis that would justify removing a name from the ballot.

The timeline of such disputes can be tightly linked to election dates and ballot printing schedules. In Kentucky, changes to the ballot generally need to occur within specific deadlines and through specific channels so that ballots can be finalized and counted consistently across precincts and jurisdictions.

For JCPS and the broader Louisville community, the outcome affects not only Perry-Adelmann’s candidacy but also voter choice in a school governance race. School board elections involve oversight of district priorities and policies, and when a candidate is removed from the ballot, it can alter the set of options presented to families, staff, and residents who depend on district leadership.

Louisville Public Media’s report did not indicate what next step the petition request will take immediately, or what specific grounds are asserted in the filing. The next phase, in most cases, would involve review by the relevant election authority and, if needed, additional proceedings to determine whether the petition can succeed.

As the dispute moves forward, Perry-Adelmann’s campaign and the petition backers are expected to focus on the legal and procedural questions at issue, including any documentation, eligibility requirements, and deadlines that govern whether her name can remain on the ballot for the JCPS school board race.