Andrea Welker

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Andrea Welker

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Democratic Party

Fayette County Constable District 1

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor

Wade McNabb

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Kentucky, College of Arts & Sciences, 2005

Graduate

Patterson School of Diplomacy & International Commerce, 2008

Law

University of Kentucky College of Law, 2009

Personal

Birthplace

Lexington, Ky.

Religion

Roman Catholic

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal X

Andrea Welker (Democratic Party) is a member of the Fayette County Constable in Kentucky, representing District 1. She assumed office on January 2, 2023. Her current term ends on January 4, 2027.

Welker (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Fayette County Constable to represent District 1 in Kentucky. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Welker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Andrea Welker was born in Lexington, Kentucky. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Arts & Sciences in 2005, a graduate degree from the Patterson School of Diplomacy & International Commerce in 2008, and a law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2009. Her career experience includes working as an attorney. Welker is a dues-paying union member of the American Federation of Teachers and United Campus Workers.

Elections

2022

See also: City elections in Lexington, Kentucky (2022)

General election

General election for Fayette County Constable District 1

Andrea Welker won election in the general election for Fayette County Constable District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Andrea Welker (D)	100.0	18,950

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,950
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Fayette County Constable District 1

Andrea Welker defeated James Smith and incumbent Wade McNabb in the Democratic primary for Fayette County Constable District 1 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Andrea Welker	65.1	5,191
	Submit photo	James Smith	22.7	1,809
		Wade McNabb	12.1	968

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,968
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Andrea Welker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Welker's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Andrea Welker is the managing attorney for the Medical-Legal Partnership at Kentucky Children's Hospital. She has devoted her career to improving the health of Kentucky's children by addressing the legal barriers to health. Her client representation is in special education law, landlord-tenant, Social Security disability/other public benefits, family law and basic estate planning. Her academic focus is in social determinants of health and trauma-informed practice, and her advocacy work is devoted to health policy and public education.

She is a 2009 graduate of UK College of Law, and also has an MA from the Patterson School of Diplomacy & International Commerce, a BA from UK College of Arts & Sciences in Modern American History, and a graduate certificate in Public Health Management from UK College of Public Health. She is an adjunct professor at UK College of Law and a pediatrics clinical preceptor for the College of Medicine.

An amateur musician, she is passionate about the arts and plays violin for the local community orchestra. She is also interested in historical preservation, and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Lexington where she has been a member of the Headquarters Board to preserve the League's historic home.

She lives in Lexington with her husband and two daughters.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• No More Amateur Policing: Putting an end to the current abuses of office and danger to the public posed by incumbent playing cop. The office should be used for service of process for the Court only.
• Transparency and Accountability: All funds collected by the Office of Constable should be published and released to both the city and the public. The funds should be reinvested in the city, to mitigate the harm of evictions, rather than lining the pockets of elected officials.
• Respect, Equity and Justice: The public should be treated with respect and should not be subjected to abuses by fake cops. The Office of Constable is not to be used as a mob enforcer for unethical landlords to perform illegal evictions. Constables should follow the law and never exceed the power or authority, treat others inequitably or further injustice.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Housing policy/tenant rights: Every human has the right to safe and healthy housing, and it is our job to ensure those rights are upheld. Affordable housing must be made a priority as a rapid increase in housing prices is pushing people out of their communities. We must be proactive and work now to eliminate homelessness, housing insecurity, and substandard housing conditions.

Public education: I have advocated extensively to protect our schools from privatization, those who put profits ahead of our students' needs. I support protections for students with disabilities, justice for students of color, and equality for LGBTQ+ students. I am staunchly opposed to police officers in schools ("school resource officers"), as their presence does not enhance safety, it only serves to criminalize juvenile behavior, particularly for students of color and students with disabilities.

Criminal justice reform: Although I am not a "prison abolitionist," the criminal justice system needs an extensive overhaul, such as the elimination of cash bail (which serves only to criminalize poverty not to protect the public), the decriminalization of marijuana and possession of other drugs, fully funding public defenders to uphold 'Gideon', and refocusing on treatment, healing and restorative justice rather than incarceration for most crimes. The US incarceration rate, particularly for Black Americans, is shameful and serves only to continue generational poverty, trauma and disenfranchisement.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

It brings in a considerable amount of revenue and is a conduit between the court and the parties through service of process. There is a unique opportunity to ensure that members of the community are aware of the resources available when encountering the legal system, as well as the resources available when facing eviction in order to prevent homelessness.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Price of Inequality by Joseph Stiglitz; How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi; The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander; How to Kill a City by Peter Moskowitz; The Power Broker by Robert Caro; What We Owe to Each Other by T.M. Scanlon.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Desire for service over one's own thirst for power. Commitment to evidence-based policy.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Knowledge and experience in legal practice, criminal justice, and public policy. I do not wish to have power, or exert power over others, but rather to empower the people and community.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To limit the power of the office to the job that needs to be done, not the job someone who wants power but no responsibility wants to perform.

What legacy would you like to leave?

To reduce the harm of evictions and improve the health of our community.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Great Steak & Potato Company, Fayette Mall, 1996-1997. I worked there for a year to save up for a class trip to Spain, the summer before my senior year of high school, as well as for a down-payment on my first car.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Sherlock Holmes books. He's the reason I play violin.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Dana Scully

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

South Gotta Change by Adia Victoria

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

As a first-generation college student without parental support, I struggled in college, faced with housing insecurity, job insecurity and food insecurity, while trying to complete my degree. I know first-hand how difficult it can be to succeed when you do not have generational wealth, when you have to work full time through college just to still live in poverty, and also when you face health challenges; that is even with nearly all other factors in my favor. "There but for the grace of God go I" is something that those of us who have overcome challenges to achieve success should take to heart, and offer a hand up to others, not pull the ladder up behind us. We must recognize that not everyone has the same opportunities, the same resiliency factors, or the same abilities as we had to overcome challenges, and exercise empathy by evaluating policies through that lens of compassion.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

That the Constable is given police powers without being required to be a trained law enforcement officer. This has lead to considerable abuses of power, and has endangered the public when amateurs play cop.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

The holder of the office should have a solid foundation in respecting the law, in order to not violate it.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

A respect for the law, to uphold it whether they like it or not. Conflict resolution and de-escalation skills. Experience in working with the public, with people in crisis.

Tell us your favorite joke.

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." Don't tell my best friend from high school; it's her joke that I roll my eyes at but secretly it's my favorite.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Fayette County Constable District 1

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