Larry Shelton will be the next Kenton County sheriff after defeating Democrat Tom Collins on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Shelton, a Republican, won 28,261 votes to Collins' 26,222, according to unofficial results reported by LINK nky on election night. He takes office in 2027.

Out of 54,483 total votes cast (calculated), Shelton captured roughly 51.9% to Collins' 48.1%.

Results are unofficial and pending certification.

Candidate

Party

Votes

Pct.

Larry Shelton

Republican

28,261

~51.9%

Tom Collins

Democrat

26,222

~48.1%

Total

54,483

Source: LINK nky, Nov. 3, 2026. Unofficial results.

"I'm just blessed that the citizens came out and supported me," Shelton told LINK nky on election night.

An attorney and former Kenton County Police Department officer, Shelton earned both a law degree and a master's degree in public administration from Northern Kentucky University. He has practiced law since 2007, according to his campaign website, focusing on workers' compensation, veterans affairs and general practice.

Collins, a former Newport police chief, ran as a Democrat with no primary challenger. Shelton praised his opponent after the results came in, calling Collins a formidable candidate who ran a great campaign, according to LINK nky.

What Shelton plans to change

Both candidates ran on expanding the sheriff's office role in the county. In Kenton County, the sheriff's primary duties center on property tax collection, court security and serving court processes like subpoenas and protective orders. A 911 call in the county typically brings a response from a municipal department or the Kenton County Police Department, which operates independently of the sheriff's office.

Shelton wants to push the office further into public safety. He has called for a real-time crime center, similar to ones operating in Louisville and Lexington. Those centers integrate camera footage and dispatch communications to track crime trends. At a candidate forum in October, Shelton emphasized, "it's not Flock cameras."

He also plans to establish a search-and-rescue team and expand the sheriff's K9 unit. Shelton told LINK nky he intends to begin work on those initiatives as soon as possible.

How the race got here

Former Sheriff Charles "Chuck" Korzenborn retired after 26 years in the post. The Kenton County judge/executive then appointed former Fort Mitchell Mayor Jude Hehman, a Republican, to serve out the remainder of the term. Shelton defeated Hehman in the May 19 Republican primary, winning 60% to 40%, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Kentucky sheriffs serve four-year terms with no term limits. Collins had not made a public statement on the result as of Nov. 3.