John R. Grabill
KY · Vanceburg City Council Member
Vanceburg City Council member who volunteered for the council's downtown business assessment committee. He has argued that the mayor's pay should be tied to measurable city improvements.
Where John R. Grabill stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (4 records), Social Programs and Welfare (1 record), Public Infrastructure (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (3 support · 1 oppose), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 4 support
Moved to hold public comment at the start of council meetings with no sign-up needed. It passed 6-0.
November 3, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Seconded and voted for a motion to have city finances reviewed at every council meeting. It failed 2-3.
May 5, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to have the city record council meetings and make them public. The vote tied 3-3 and the mayor voted no, so it failed.
April 7, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Asked the council to post city ordinances online, record meetings for the public, and fix an unsafe handrail at city hall.
March 3, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 3 support · 1 oppose
Cast the only vote against raising pay for volunteer firefighters per fire call to $30, and $55 for the chiefs. It passed 5-1.
March 2, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Voted against raising the mayor's salary, saying more pay should be tied to measurable city gains. It passed when the mayor broke a 3-3 tie.
February 2, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to give the county 911 dispatch center $4,000 a month for one year. The vote tied 3-3 and the mayor voted no.
July 7, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Voted against the city's 2025-26 budget. It passed 4-2.
June 19, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support · 1 oppose
Cast the only vote against raising pay for volunteer firefighters per fire call to $30, and $55 for the chiefs. It passed 5-1.
March 2, 2026Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to give the county 911 dispatch center $4,000 a month for one year. The vote tied 3-3 and the mayor voted no.
July 7, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support
Moved for the city to write a letter supporting Lewis County Hope House's effort to open a homeless shelter. It passed 6-0.
June 1, 2026Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Asked the council to post city ordinances online, record meetings for the public, and fix an unsafe handrail at city hall.
March 3, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Track record — General
General · 10 records
Moved to put the city's unsold Halbert Avenue lot up for sale again. It passed 3-2.
September 14, 2026
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to annex the Southern Ohio Medical Center property into the city. It passed 4-0, with one member abstaining.
August 13, 2026
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Voted for the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Ready Community certification resolution. It passed 5-1.
July 20, 2026
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Seconded and voted for selling the city-owned Halbert Avenue lot. The vote tied 3-3 and the mayor broke the tie for the sale.
May 4, 2026
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Raised a conflict-of-interest concern about a fellow council member acting as realtor for the city's sale of the George Morgan Thomas House.
December 1, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to appoint council member Nichole Cantu as mayor after Mayor Dane Blankenship resigned. It failed 2-3, and he voted no on Joe Billman, who won 4-2.
October 15, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Moved to delay a change to the 2024-25 budget until the state Attorney General answered his question on it. That failed 2-4, and he voted no on the change, which passed 4-2.
August 4, 2025
Source: 44f532c8-0c02-45ec-afd7-8fe00fe64156.filesusr.com
Won a seat on the Vanceburg City Council with 131 votes, placing sixth of 11 candidates for six seats.
November 5, 2024
Source: elect.ky.gov
Lost the 2022 Vanceburg mayor race to Dana Blankenship, 192 votes to 144, in the official Lewis County count.
November 8, 2022
Source: elect.ky.gov
Finished second of three in the Vanceburg mayor race on 2018-11-06 with 95 votes. Dana Blankenship won with 164.
November 6, 2018
Source: maysville-online.com
Past race John R. Grabill ran in:
- Mayor · November 3, 2026 · Vanceburg city, Kentucky