J. Nick Payne and Lelah Rogers advanced Tuesday night in the race for Daviess District Judge, Division 1, and will move on to face each other in the November general election.
Payne finished first in the four-candidate field with 4,568 votes, while Rogers secured the second spot with 4,458 votes. W. Russell Duty received 2,889 votes, and William C. Mattingly finished with 2,540 votes.
In an interview with Owensboro Times when he announced his candidacy last fall, Payne said his decision to run stemmed from decades of courtroom experience and a longtime desire to serve on the district bench. Payne, an Owensboro native and Owensboro Catholic High School graduate, earned degrees in economics and government from Centre College before obtaining his law degree from the University of Kentucky. He began his legal career clerking for judges, later worked in the public defender’s office, and has served in the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office since 2002.
Throughout the campaign, Payne emphasized his broad courtroom background and his belief that District Court should be efficient, fair, and understandable for the people who appear before it. He also pointed to his experience handling criminal cases and juvenile matters over the course of his career, saying each case deserves individualized attention. Payne and his wife, Courtney, are raising a blended family of six children, and he has remained active in the community through youth sports coaching and volunteer work.
In her interview with Owensboro Times announcing her campaign, Rogers said her motivation for seeking the judgeship came from more than 20 years working in the Department of Public Advocacy and seeing firsthand how District Court decisions can shape lives and families. Rogers has represented thousands of clients in Juvenile, District, and Circuit Courts in Daviess and Ohio counties, handling cases ranging from traffic offenses and misdemeanors to serious felonies and death penalty matters.
Rogers said throughout the race that District Court is often where issues involving addiction, mental health struggles, homelessness, and unstable family situations first intersect with the legal system. She frequently stressed the importance of balancing accountability with compassion while applying the law consistently and fairly. Rogers earned her undergraduate degree in English from UCLA before later graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2005. She and her husband, Jason Reeves, are raising five children in Owensboro, and she is active in several community organizations, including the Junior League of Owensboro, Impact 100, and Girls Inc.
