Jackson announces candidacy for Hancock County jailer

Charles Steven “Stevie” Jackson of Hawesville has announced his candidacy for Hancock County jailer in the 2026 election. A lifelong Hancock County resident, Jackson said he was inspired to run for the office because of his family’s history of public service.

“My granddad, uncle and dad were all jailers,” Jackson said. “I have some experience in it. I was a deputy jailer for my uncle for a while. It’s just a good opportunity to help someone when they’re low.”

His grandfather, John Gray, served as Hancock County jailer in the 1980s, followed by his father, Charles Jackson. His uncle, Russell Jackson, also served as jailer, and he worked under him as a deputy for about a year.

“I would just like to try to help the county,” Jackson said. “I believe I could help the county and, at the same time, help myself. I’ve had some experience and training on what to do and what not to do.”

As a former deputy jailer, Jackson received training intended to ensure the safety and well-being of both inmates and staff.

“I believe I have a good judgment of character,” he said. “I believe I can tell who is dangerous and who is not. I also feel like, sometimes, in order for God to work on someone’s life, they have to be locked up. I know that many times God moves right there. I’ve won several people to the Lord in jail.”

He has helped many inmates find faith and turn their lives around while incarcerated. He said that when people hit rock bottom, many times they’re easier to reach than when everything is going well.

“I just know that it’s a good place to be able to witness and lead somebody to Christ Jesus,” Jackson said.

He said he has seen many people come to view what they once thought was the worst time in their lives, because they were incarcerated, as a blessing in disguise. The experience provided an opportunity for them to make Christ Jesus the Lord of their life and, with a pastor to guide them, helped them in the new walk of life they were trying to begin.

“I don’t think of myself as any better than anyone who would be locked up,” he said. “I don’t put myself above them. I know that could happen to anybody. It’s easy to go down the wrong road for anyone.”

The jailer’s term is four years, with the next term beginning in 2027. Jackson previously ran for jailer and narrowly lost to current jailer Roger Estes.

“I asked Roger one day while we were at Bill’s on the Hill, ‘If you decide you don’t want to run, let me know and I might run.’ He told me he was running for sheriff, so that’s when I decided to put my name in. I wasn’t going to run against him. I would have big shoes to fill. Roger has done a good job for many years, and has been very dedicated. He has set the bar high.”

Jackson said his home in Hawesville is located in the exact center of Hancock County. He grew up farming with his family, raising tobacco and cattle, and still keeps a few cows today.

The son of Charles and Jane Jackson, he is a Hancock County High School graduate and attended Boyce College, a Christian college affiliated with the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, at the Owensboro campus.

He said he plans to use a familiar slogan for his campaign: “When my dad ran for jailer, his motto was, ‘Lock up your vote. Jackson for jailer.'”

Jackson has been a contractor for many years, specializing in carpentry and bricklaying throughout the area. He has served as pastor of Patesville Baptist Church since 2009 and previously pastored Blacklick Baptist Church in McQuady. He has also filled in for nearly every Baptist church in the area over the years.

“There are two deputy jailers now,” he said. “If I needed to preach a revival or a funeral, I could do that and it wouldn’t take away from my ministry. Really, it would add to it because I would be able to go more places and do more things in the jail than I was before.”

If elected, Jackson said he hopes to help those facing difficult circumstances while serving the county.

“Before I decided to run, people were calling me and telling me, ‘I heard you’re running for jailer,'” he said. “People encouraged me to do it, and I just took that as a sign that the Lord would want me to run for jailer.”

He is blessed with five children, Jacob Jackson, Lucas Jackson, Vanessa Jackson, Jonathan Jackson and Julia Jackson, and 13 grandchildren.

Kentucky uses a closed primary system for all partisan offices, including county offices such as jailer. Voters must be registered with a party to participate in that party’s primary. Those wishing to vote in the May 2026 primary must change party affiliation by Dec. 31, 2025. Jackson is a registered Republican.