1983 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election

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1983 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
 1979November 8, 1983 1987  
Turnout56.2% [1]
  Steve Beshear by Gage Skidmore.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Steve Beshear Eugene P. Stuart
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote568,869321,352
Percentage63.35%35.79%

1983 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Beshear:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Stuart:      50–60%     60–70%

Lieutenant Governor before election

Martha Layne Collins
Democratic

Elected Lieutenant Governor

Steve Beshear
Democratic

The 1983 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1983, to elect the lieutenant governor of Kentucky. Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Martha Layne Collins chose not to seek re-election to a second term, instead choosing to run for governor.

Contents

Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Steve Beshear beat Republican nominee Eugene P. Stuart.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Results

May 24, Democratic primary [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Steve Beshear 183,662 31.94%
Democratic George L. Atkins 156,03827.13%
Democratic Todd Hollenbach126,36421.98%
Democratic Alben W. Barkley II 76,04613.22%
Democratic George H. Kendall12,5192.18%
Democratic Guy W. Rockefeller10,4061.81%
Democratic Bill Spivey 9,9871.74%
Total votes575,022 100.00%

Republican primary

After McCubbin lost the Republican primary, he became an independent candidate for governor. This was because Kentucky law prevented a candidate who lost a primary to run in the general election for the same office they were defeated in. At the same time, Don Wiggins Jr., an unsuccessful candidate for governor in the Republican primary, ran as an independent in the lieutenant gubernatorial election on a ticket with McCubbin. [7] [8]

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Results

May 24, Republican primary [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Eugene P. Stuart 36,414 53.59%
Republican Nicholas D. McCubbin16,59824.43%
Republican Tommy Klein14,93221.98%
Total votes67,944 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1983 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Steve Beshear 568,869 63.35%
Republican Eugene P. Stuart 321,35235.79%
Independent Don Wiggins Jr.7,7280.86%
Total votes897,949 100.00%
Democratic hold

References

  1. "1983 General - Voter Turnout Report" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  2. Sy Ramsey (July 1, 1982). "Beshear Entering Race For State's No. 2 Spot". Kentucky New Era .
  3. Sy Ramsey (August 21, 1982). "Atkins Resigns Post, Eyes Lt. Governor's Race". Kentucky New Era .
  4. "Spivey Files For Office". Kentucky New Era . March 25, 1983.
  5. "Hollenbach Files For Lt. Gov Post". The Harlan Daily Enterprise . March 16, 1983.
  6. "Primary Election - May 24, 1983 - Lt. Governor". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  7. Herbert Sparrow (July 24, 1983). "Independents get ahead on Kentucky's ballot". Sunday Times-Sentinel.
  8. "Disgruntled GOP group forms Citizens party". Madison Courier . June 21, 1983.
  9. "Primary Election - May 24, 1983 - Lt. Governor". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  10. "General Election - Nov 8, 1983 - Lt. Governor's Election". Kentucky State Board of Elections.