Three months ago, we profiled a candidate running at the local level to be a city councilmember in Louisville, Kentucky (the largest city in the state). Today, we are profiling another candidate running at the local level, who is an incumbent on the city council of Lexington, Kentucky (the second-largest city in the state). Dr. Liz Sheehan (she/her), is a professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky and is the first openly bisexual individual to hold elected office in the state. Having served two terms on the city council, Liz is passionate about creating policy solutions to tackle problems associated with housing and homelessness, environmental sustainability, LGBTQ rights, pedestrian and biker safety, and mental health. Liz lives in Lexington with her husband Dan and daughter Ash.

Where are you based?
I live in Lexington, KY.

What is your position/what position are you running for?
I am serving my second term as 5th District Councilmember on the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council and running for re-election to serve a third term.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I prioritize my council work in three areas: 1) constituent services, 2) meeting the basic needs of our community as defined as housing, food access, safety, physical and mental health and 3) community-wide policy work, such as environmental sustainability.

What inspired you to run?
In January 2017 I attended the Women’s March on Washington with my mom and my daughter. One of the speakers said if anyone in attendance was ever thinking about running for office, now was the time to step up! I knew at that moment I had to answer the call. I felt like my voice was needed as an educator, a researcher, and a mom. At the time I was the Girl Scout Troop leader for my daughter’s troop and a college-level teacher, so I was very focused on the youth in our community. I wanted to ensure the best possible future for my daughter, my students, and those to come. I was also heavily involved in other community service, and public office was a natural next step to continue that work at a higher level. Thus, I now work on policy related to sustainability, housing access, equity, and workforce development. I want everyone in our community to see opportunities for their future and a pathway to succeed.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
Every day I work to make Lexington Fayette Urban County Government more accessible to the people it serves. Through work on our Public Input Subcommittee my colleagues and I have made the public comment process easier, more equitable, and modern. By funding a review regarding the diversity of our boards and commissions, my colleagues and I have prioritized bringing more voices to the table. Through the Council Book Club I started last year and initiatives like Civic Connections, a column in one of our local publications, I am trying to educate and engage our residents in local government.

This is just skimming the surface of our potential. I want, or perhaps it’s better to say, I need more people, from more diverse backgrounds to be actively involved in our community. That is how we create the best possible future, and I remain committed to that mission.

How long have you been in office? What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
I have served as the 5th District Councilmember for almost four years and am very proud of the work I have been able to accomplish in just two terms. A few of my proudest accomplishments are co-sponsoring legislation outlawing conversion therapy in Lexington for minors, funding our first Sustainability Coordinator, being the catalyst for our Complete Streets Policy Action Plan, increasing funding to support homelessness prevention and interventions, and securing resources to do an assessment of our public spaces for ADA accessibility.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
My priority is always quickly addressing 5th District constituent concerns and meeting the basic needs of all Lexington residents. Related to the latter, we need to continue addressing housing availability for all income levels and we need to implement policies to mitigate climate change.

Similar to other cities in our nation, Lexington is battling a housing crisis. We need more housing units and we need to find ways to make housing more affordable. I continue to work on policy and advocate for resources in this domain. I supported increasing our allocation to our Affordable Housing Fund that has created over 3000 units in our community. I work to increase housing for two gaps that we see for 1) permanent support housing for those that need a housing unit that comes with social services for their mental or physical health and 2) emergency shelter and transitional housing options for families to allow them to stay together. We also have to continue decreasing the financial and administrative burden for developers willing to build affordable housing.

We must plan for the future and that means climate change mitigation and adaptation. That’s why I threw my hat in the ring for chair of our committee on Environmental Quality and Public Works. It is not typical for a second term Councilmember to chair a standing committee, but I knew I wanted to lead on environmental issues and this was a perfect place to start. I have also supported an update to our community Sustainability Plan and secured grant funding for low-to-moderate income homeowners that wanted to install solar panels to increase their energy efficiency and lower their utility bills.

Moving forward environmental policy is important, but as an educator, I also recognize that developing the next generation of Councilmembers, planners and organizers is crucial to protecting our natural resources. I recently worked with a high school student from the local group Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council who inquired about being an intern in my office. I was excited to invest in someone’s leadership and career development. After interning in my office, working on greenway policy, she is now off to college to continue being a bright passionate leader wherever she goes next!

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
The Urban County Council has the benefit of being a non-partisan government. While we all have our own political party affiliations, we discuss and vote on the issues at hand without caucusing or dividing based on party. We don’t always agree 100%, but we are able to engage in civil discourse and to hone in on our common ground to propose solutions. This not only translates to my relationships with my colleagues, but also my relationships with community members.

Building community is deeply important, I have found local campaigns are a great way to build that community and feel less isolated. I answered the call to run in 2017 and continually encourage others, especially women, that are thinking about running to talk to local representatives like me. But, even if someone isn’t ready to step up to run, it is important to engage them in conversation about how to get involved in their government, beyond the ballot box. Especially at the local level, individuals can truly take direct action on the issues they care about. I see it as my job to show them that path and the tools that the government provides for them. For example, I have helped residents join boards, access grant funding, promote causes, and organize neighborhood meetings. Politics is every day. This is why I am so passionate and steadfast in making our local government more accessible.

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
I am proud to be the first openly bisexual elected official in Kentucky and to serve on Lexington’s most diverse City Council in our history. I have seen first hand what happens when our government more wholly represents its constituency. A couple examples that come to mind are the unanimous passage of legislation I co-sponsored that outlaws conversion therapy for minors in Lexington and the unanimous passage of the CROWN Act, led by the three Black female Councilmembers I currently serve with on council.

The piece of my background I rely on most in my work on council is my experience as a researcher and an educator. As a teacher in psychology, I teach students the hierarchy of needs — that you cannot reach your fullest potential until your basic needs are met. This is the perspective I bring to council and how I prioritize the issues that I work on. My professional skills as a teacher and researcher also inform my council work: heavy emphasis on communication and responsiveness, evidenced-based decision making, educating and engaging residents in their local government, preparation for work through investigation of background information and perspective taking.

What is your motto in life?
Don’t hate, collaborate.

Where can we find out more about you?
You can read more about me on my website www.lizforlex.com, on Facebook (@reelectlizforlex) and Instagram (@lizforlex).

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2024 - Liz Sheehan, Lexington, KY Urban County Council District 5