Lexington Charter Amendments
The guiding document for how Lexington’s local government is organized is called the Urban County Charter, you can think of it like Lexington’s local constitution. Any changes to Lexington’s Charter have to be approved by a ballot referendum (a chance for the entire city to vote for or against any changes). This year, there will be three Charter amendments on your ballot!
Charter Amendment 1 - Councilmember Salary
Charter Amendment 2 - Councilmember Accountability
Charter Amendment 3 - Charter Review
Where did these amendments come from?
In March of 2026, CivicLex hosted Lexington’s first-ever Civic Assembly -
Amendment 1 - Council Salary
On your ballot, you will be asked to vote FOR or AGAINST updating the compensation of Lexington’s Urban County Council Members from about $43,000/year to $59,987/year (the average annual wage in Lexington), starting in 2031.
A vote FOR would update the annual salary of Councilmembers to $59,981/year, starting in 2031. This number would also be adjusted once a year according to the consumer price index, which usually results in a small cost of living increase every year.
A vote AGAINST would keep the annual salary of Councilmembers at its current level of approximately $43,000/year. This number is also adjusted once a year according to the consumer price index.