Brent Wigginton selected as District 1 Magistrate Candidate

The Hancock County Republican Party has selected Brent Wigginton as their candidate to run against the Democrat candidate, Darrell Wall, in November for Lewisport (District 1) Magistrate.

Brent served the City of Lewisport for 22 years. He was hired by the City in 2001 for the Public Works position as operator of gas, water and sewer, and for 16 years served as Lewisport City Administrator. He was also a volunteer firefighter at the Lewisport Volunteer Fire Department for many years.

He retired in 2022, but is still very active in the City. He continues to serve on the Heritage Festival and Christmas in the Park Committees, and is also a member of the Lewisport Lions Club. Since 2010, he has been a Kenergy Board Representative for Hancock County, and is the current General Manager of Daviess County Water District.

In his many years of public service, Brent has served both the citizens of Lewisport and of Hancock County. “I always felt like being a magistrate is something I wanted to do,” he said, “it’s been a goal of mine for many years.”

Having served in city government, it has given him many years of experience in dealing with challenges such as with finding funding for projects, audits, budgets, etc. “It is just instilled in me,” he said, “it’s almost like second nature anymore, and that would just transfer over into doing the same with the county. I’m very well prepared to be able to do a good job not only for District 1, but for the County as a whole.”

Brent grew up farming with his parents, Jerry & Kay Wigginton, in Pellville and graduated from Hancock County High School in 1988. He attended Owensboro Vocational School and studied machine and shop while at HCHS. After graduation, he was a Production Machinist at the G.E. plant in Owensboro while also part-time farming for 8 years, until beginning his job with the City of Lewisport.

He and his wife, Renee Shutt Wigginton, were high school sweethearts and married in 1990. She has been an RN at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital for almost 40 years. Their daughter Raelynn and her husband, Russell Haycraft, live nearby. Raelynn teaches 7th Grade English at HCMS, and they have blessed Brent & Renee with a granddaughter, Collins Rae Haycraft, and a newborn grandson, Micah Walker Haycraft.

Their youngest daughter, Haley Ann Wigginton, is graduating in December with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management at Western Kentucky University, and is Assistant Manager at Olde Stone Country Club in Bowling Green.

Brent was involved for many years with the Hancock County Softball Rec. League, and for 14 years with the HC Softball Boosters while his daughters were growing up. “We had to work hand in hand with the Parks System,” he said. “I’m well in tune with the Parks Dept. and the importance of our parks and how much they’re used by the public, as well as their partnership with the school system.”

HC Democrat Party Candidate

The Hancock County Democrat Party selected Darrell Wall as their candidate to fill former District 1 Magistrate John Garner’s seat after he resigned to serve as School Resource Officer at North Hancock Elementary. Wall was then sworn-in as the new Lewisport (District 1) Magistrate, and will serve until the election on November 5th.

Wall will hold office, as the Governor appointed candidate, until a candidate is elected at the General Election on November 5th, 2024. The newly elected individual in November will take office immediately and fill the unexpired term.

Independent

Independent Candidates may pick up the nomination forms at the Hancock County Clerk’s Office. The nomination form must be submitted by the June 4th, 2024 filing deadline to be voted on in November.

Write-Ins

Any qualified individual may run as a write-in candidate as long as they file a declaration on intent in the Clerk’s office by October 25th. Their name will not appear on the ballot. It will be up to the voter to write the candidate’s name on the ballot next to the coordinating office. Only votes for candidates who have filed the proper write-in filing paper will be counted.

By Jennifer Wimmer