Democrat David James can be sworn in as the 6th District representative on the Louisville Metro Council as soon as the Jefferson County Board of Elections certifies the results of his Nov. 2 election victory, the county attorney's office says.
Kent Hall, a spokesman for Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, whose office provides the staff for the election board, said the board probably will certify the Nov. 2 results next week, after it completes a recanvass in several local judicial races.
Election officials had said several times in recent months that the winner of the 6th District Metro Council race would not take office until Jan. 3. But the county attorney has decided that since the Nov. 2 vote was a special election to complete an unexpired term, the winner would be eligible to take office once the vote is certified, Hall said Friday.
The office became vacant when longtime 6th District Council member George Unseld bled to death after he fell in his City Hall office in early June.
The Metro Council then stalemated on choosing a successor, finally electing independent Deonte Hollowell to fill the vacancy.
The Democratic Executive Committee subsequently selected James, a police officer and former city Fraternal Order of Police lodge president, as the Democratic candidate for the Nov. 2 election, while the Jefferson Republicans picked Candace Jaworski.
Hollowell also filed for the position, and Democrat Ken Herndon ran a write-in campaign. James easily won the four-way race Nov. 2.
James will serve the remaining two years, plus about six weeks, on the unexpired term. Council terms are four years, with half of the 26 council seats up for election every even-numbered year.