David Yates is a Democratic politician and attorney who represented Kentucky Senate District 37 from January 2021 to October 2025. He resigned from the Senate after being appointed Jefferson County Clerk on October 8, 2025, a role he currently holds. Previously, he served on the Louisville Metro Council for District 25 from 2010 to 2020, where he was elected the youngest Metro Council President for two consecutive terms. Notable achievements include recognition as Louisville Business First’s Forty Under 40 , Outstanding Alumnus by the University of Louisville Political Science Department , Greater Louisville Inc’s Most Valuable Policy Maker , Insider Louisville’s Top Influential Leader , and the Holy Cross Silver Cross of Heroism Award. In the Senate, he served as Minority Whip.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Graduated from Holy Cross High School in Louisville; earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Louisville ; Juris Doctor from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University .
• Early Career: Law clerk for U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman; Assistant Attorney General of Kentucky ; personal injury attorney and owner of his own law practice for nearly 15 years; attorney for the UAW.
• Political Experience: Elected to Louisville Metro Council , serving as President; Kentucky State Senator for District 37 , elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024; Jefferson County Clerk . Key projects include infrastructure improvements, neighborhood safety, and economic growth initiatives like Regional Libraries, Colonial Gardens Revitalization, and New Dixie Redevelopment.