The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council will look different next year with five newcomers to the 15-member board.

Two incumbents were defeated on Tuesday, while two incumbent councilors managed to hold off challengers. Two races involved open seats.

It will also be historic. Emma Curtis became the first transgender person elected to the Lexington City Council on Tuesday — and the first transgender person elected to a municipal office in Kentucky.

In January, the board will also have two people younger than 30 — Curtis, 28, and Tyler Morton, 26 — in another big change for the board. No one on the current board is under 30 years old.

One of the new faces on the council this January is Amy Beasley, who was the only candidate to file for the 8th District Council seat. Beasley will replace retiring Councilman Fred Brown.

There were six contested council races on Tuesday. All council races are nonpartisan. Council members serve two-year terms.

Sector 1

Tyler Morton, a former councilman, defeated incumbent Councilwoman Tayna Fogle in the District 1 race.

According to unofficial Morton results he received 58% of the vote, compared to Fogle’s 42%.

Fogle was first elected in 2022. Morton promised to immediately begin working to address homelessness, gun safety and traffic safety and understand the root causes of these problems.

The First District Council includes parts of downtown Lexington north of Main Street and extends to Interstate 75. It encompasses neighborhoods along Newtown Pike, North Broadway and North Limestone.

Sector 2

Counselor Shayla Lynch will return for another two years after defeating challenger Jacques Wigginton.

Lynch received 63% of the vote. Wigginton received 37%, according to unofficial results.

An attorney who spent two decades working for nonprofit organizations, Lynch said she wants to focus on improving infrastructure in the 2nd District and continue her work advocating for more affordable housing solutions.

Council District 2 includes neighborhoods in the Georgetown and Leestown Road corridors.

Sector 4

Challenger Emma Curtis defeated Councilwoman Brenda Monarrez in the contested Ward 4 race.

Curtis got it 52% of the votes. Monarrez he received 48%, according to unofficial results.

Curtis said he wants to address the issues on Nicholasville Road and do more to address affordable housing needs in Lexington.

Monarrez was first elected in 2022. Her tenure on the council was not without controversy. A Fayette Circuit judge issued a three-year protective order against the first-term counselor in October after a fellow counselor accused Monarrez of being sexually aggressive toward her twice in three years.

The order barred Monarrez from city hall until 2027. Monarrez attended council meetings virtually.

Council District 4 includes neighborhoods south of New Circle Road between Nicholasville and Tates Creek roads.

District 5

Councilor Liz Sheehan won third term on Tuesday.

Sheehan, who was first elected in 2020, received 60 percent of the vote, compared to challenger Meredith Price’s 40 percent, according to unofficial results.

Sheehan is a faculty member in the psychology department at the University of Kentucky. She previously won re-election to the seat in 2022.

Sheehan helped pass some of the council’s most complex legislation, including ordinances governing short-term rentals and complete streets. She pledged to continue working on affordable housing and homelessness during her third term.

Council District 5 includes many downtown neighborhoods, including Chevy Chase and Idle Hour.

Sector 7

Joseph Hale defeated Heather Hadi in the 7th District Council race.

Hale received 55% of the votes compared to Hadi’s 45%, according to unofficial results.

The seat became open after incumbent Councilman Preston Worley announced last year that he would not run for re-election.

Hale said he wants to hear from all areas of the district and said getting out and talking to people has been an important part of his campaign.

“District 7 is a broad district,” he said, noting that safety might be a primary concern for one part of the district, while another area might be more interested in parks and bike trails. “One problem is not bigger than the other.”

District 7 encompasses the areas of Richmond Road and Athens-Boonesboro Road, including the neighborhoods around Woodhill and Codell roads, Squires Road and Hays Boulevard.

Sector 12

In the other open seat up for grabs Tuesday, Hil Boone defeated Chad Walker to represent the rural Lexington district, which includes areas outside the urban service boundary.

Boone, owner of Boonedogs, received 64% of the vote compared to Walkerwhich received 36%.

Boone is a farmer and business owner who said he will serve as “a truly independent voice focused on what’s best for District 12.”

Boone said one of his top priorities will be protecting Lexington’s greenbelt from development.