Jefferson District Judge Mary Wolford and court officials are calling into question the actions of an attorney in the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office, who could now wind up taking the judge’s seat with just one write-in vote this fall.
Court officials claim the secretary of state’s office removed the judge from her reelection race despite her repeated attempts to rescind a mailed withdrawal form that had not yet been delivered, making the attorney in the state elections office the only eligible candidate.
Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams disputed that account and criticism of his office, saying he was legally obligated to disqualify the judge and his office did nothing unethical.
Jude Wolford told Kentucky Public Radio she previously intended to retire and withdraw from her reelection race this summer, due to a family matter. However, she changed her mind when Michael R. Wilson — the deputy general counsel in the state elections office — unexpectedly filed to run as a write-in candidate for her seat on Aug. 24, the deadline for candidates to file.
According to Jefferson District Court administrator Susan Ely and another court staffer close to the matter, Wilson filed to run for the judicial seat soon after Judge Wolford had called his office colleague earlier that day — elections director Heather Quinn — to try to withdraw from her race.
Quinn told her she could not withdraw from the race over the phone and had to submit a signed copy of her withdrawal that day in person, according to court officials. Wolford could not go to Frankfort that day, so the following morning she mailed her signed withdrawal form to the secretary of state’s office.
Later that same day, Wolford realized that Wilson, an attorney in the same secretary of state’s office, had filed to run as a write-in candidate the previous day, shortly after she had called Quinn. At this point, court officials say Wolford made repeated calls and emails — in addition to letters mailed and delivered in person — to the secretary of state’s office seeking to rescind and disregard her mailed withdrawal form that had not yet been received by that office.
Court officials say Wolford never received a reply from the secretary of state’s office. The following Monday, Aug. 31, the secretary of state’s website was updated to indicate that Wolford had withdrawn from the race, leaving Wilson as the only eligible candidate.
In her statement to KPR, Judge Wolford was vague in her criticisms, but reiterated that she fully intends to stay in her position and win reelection this fall.
“I had originally intended to retire effective September 18th of this year due to some pressing family matters that were going to require my full time and attention,” Wolford stated. “However, in response to what I’ll charitably describe as a ‘turn of events’ and out of respect for the electoral process and the voters of Jefferson County, I sent timely notice to the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, and the Secretary of State that I have reconsidered and will remain on the bench and on the ballot in November.”
Wolford added: “When you go into public service, you go in knowing that doing what’s right always takes precedence over what’s best for you personally.”
If Wilson had not filed to run and Wolford had withdrawn, the seat would have become vacant, setting up a legal process for an appointment and special election. A bipartisan panel would submit three names to the governor to pick an interim appointee to the seat, before candidates file and run in a subsequent special election.
Secretary Adams disputes the timeframe of when Wolford or her representatives first reached out to his office about withdrawing from the race, but said his office did receive communications that Wolford had changed her mind prior to receiving the signed withdrawal form in the mail on Aug. 31.
Despite Wolford’s efforts, Adams says he was legally obligated to disregard them and certify Wolford’s withdrawal, as the form was signed on the Aug. 24 deadline to certify candidates.
“The law is very clear that the secretary of state doesn't get to decide who runs for office,” Adams said. “I have to accept validly filed documents, whether they're for candidacy or withdrawal of candidacy. This has been litigated and it's crystal clear with a firm legal precedent from a high court in Kentucky that a withdrawal of withdrawal isn't a thing in the law and has no legal effect.”
Adams also disputes that Wilson did anything unethical or somehow used secret information before he filed as a candidate, noting that Wolford had sent a letter two weeks earlier to the governor and court officials announcing her upcoming retirement.
The office of Gov. Andy Beshear turned over the copies of two letters they received from Judge Wolford over the past month — the first to announce her upcoming retirement, and the second to rescind that retirement. A letter dated Aug. 11 told Beshear she intended to retire on Sept. 18, but Wolford’s follow up letter dated Sept. 1 — a day after the secretary of state website listed her as withdrawn — stated that she had changed her mind.
“Since that time, several things have happened which have caused me to reconsider my earlier resignation,” Wolford wrote. “I am writing to you today to withdraw my retirement/resignation as set forth in my August 11, 2026 letter and to remain on the District Court bench.”
Wolford’s letters to Beshear were also shared with the chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court and the chief judge of the Jefferson District Court.
Adams also defended Wilson by saying that people in Wolford’s “network” told the office she was talking to other potential candidates who intended to file as write-ins, “so it was a surprise to me that one person filed. We fully expected there to be a write-in campaign.”
“I do think it is pretty distasteful to have candidates gaming the system, trying to get their people in, some people in, deny the voters a choice,” Adams said. “Have the governor pick the next judge instead of the voters. I just think it's really unseemly and distasteful.”
In response to questions emailed to Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams’ spokesperson earlier this week, Wilson told KPR in an email Tuesday that Judge Wolford had not contracted him to give advance notice of her pending retirement before he filed as a write-in candidate. He did not respond to a follow up email asking if he was told by anyone that she was planning to drop out, or if his filing was a coincidence.
KPR asked Adams’ spokesperson Nick Storm in a phone call and email last week if Wolford had withdrawn from the race, but did not receive an answer before Wolford’s status was changed to “withdrawn” on the secretary of state website this Monday.
Storm confirmed Tuesday that Wolford is officially withdrawn from the race and that Wilson would win a four-year term to the Jefferson District Court seat if he receives any write-in votes.
After the publication of this story, the secretary of state’s office responded to KPR’s open records request seeking copies of the election filings and withdrawals of Wilson and Wolford, in addition to staff communications about and with Wolford.
The records show that Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Lambert informed Adams of Wolford’s intent to retire and withdraw on Aug. 12, the day after Wolford’s retirement letter. The following week, Wolford left three voicemails for Quinn on Aug. 20 and 21 seeking to have questions answered on her withdrawal.
In his comments to KPR, Adams criticized court staff for sending his office “nasty” messages over Wolford, saying the whole matter shows that the judge isn’t fit for the job.
“If you're going to be a judge, you need to be capable of making decisions,” Adams said. “That's your job. So I don't think it's a big loss if this person's legal position is ultimately upheld.”
Adams said he assumes Wolford will file litigation against his office seeking to restore her status as an eligible candidate for reelection.
In his email to Adams, Chauvin wrote that if she is not restored as an eligible candidate, Wolford “will be obliged out of respect for the people she serves and the public good to seek appropriate and necessary redress.”
*This story was updated to include answers from Secretary of State Michael Adams and records of communications provided by his office.
