2019 Kentucky elections

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2019 Kentucky elections
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A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 5, 2019, with all executive offices in the state up for election. Primary elections were held on May 21, 2019. [1]

Contents

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

The 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2019, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Kentucky. [2] The Democratic nominee, Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear, defeated Republican incumbent Matt Bevin by a margin of just over 5,000 votes, or 0.37%. [3] It was the closest gubernatorial election in Kentucky since 1899 by total votes, and the closest ever by percentage. [4]

Bevin won 97 counties, while Beshear won only 23 counties. [5] Beshear carried only two of the state's six congressional districts, but those districts were the state's two most urbanized, the Louisville-based 3rd and the Lexington-based 6th. [6]

Bevin conceded on November 14, after a recanvass took place that day that did not change the vote count. [7] [8] [9] Libertarian John Hicks also qualified for the ballot and received 2% of the vote. Statewide turnout was just over 42%, [10] much higher than for the 2015 gubernatorial election. The result was a major swing from 2016, when Donald Trump won the state by 30 points and Republicans gained a supermajority in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly.

Results

Kentucky gubernatorial election, 2019 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Andy Beshear 709,890 49.20% +5.37%
Republican Matt Bevin (incumbent)704,75448.83%−3.68%
Libertarian John Hicks28,4331.97%N/A
Write-in 460.00%N/A
Total votes1,443,123 100.0% N/A
Democratic gain from Republican

Attorney General

The 2019 Kentucky Attorney General election was conducted on November 5. Primary elections occurred on May 21, 2019. [12] The general election was held on November 5, 2019. Incumbent Democratic attorney general Andy Beshear declined to seek reelection to a second term to successfully run for Governor. Republican Daniel Cameron defeated Democrat Greg Stumbo. [13] He became the first Republican attorney general of Kentucky since 1948, [14] and the state's first black attorney general. [15]

Results

Kentucky Attorney General election, 2019 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Daniel Cameron 823,346 57.75% +7.86%
Democratic Greg Stumbo 602,27242.25%−7.86%
Total votes1,425,618 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic

Secretary of State

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. This was the only statewide race in Kentucky in 2019 besides the gubernatorial election in which the Democratic candidate came close to winning and the only non-gubernatorial statewide election in KY, LA or MS where the Democrat achieved more than 45% of the vote in 2019.

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Jason Belcher, U.S. Air Force veteran and writer [1]
  • Jason Griffith, teacher and businessman [1]
  • Heather French Henry, former Commissioner of Veterans Affairs of Kentucky and former Miss America [1]
  • Geoff Sebesta, comic book artist [1]

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Heather French Henry 263,419 71.0
Democratic Jason Belcher47,92312.9
Democratic Jason Griffith47,65512.8
Democratic Geoff Sebesta12,0883.3
Total votes371,085 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Michael
Adams		Andrew
English		Stephen
Knipper		Carl
Nett		Undecided
Cygnal [16] May 10–12, 2019600± 4.0%11%10%7%5%68%

Results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Michael Adams 94,404 41.3
Republican Andrew English62,67727.4
Republican Stephen Knipper41,36718.1
Republican Carl Nett30,34013.3
Total votes228,788 100.0

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Heather
French Henry (D)		Michael
Adams (R)		Undecided
Clarity Campaign Labs (D) [17] [A] August 12–13, 2019792± 3.3%52%37%9%

Results

Kentucky Secretary of State election, 2019 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Michael Adams 746,629 52.3
Democratic Heather French Henry 682,09647.7
Total votes1,428,725 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

State Auditor

2019 Kentucky Auditor General election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
←  2015 November 5, 2019 2023  →
  Mike Harmon (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Mike Harmon Sheri Donahue
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote779,729574,769
Percentage55.7%41.0%
2019 Kentucky State Auditor election.svg
2019 Kentucky Auditor election by precinct.svg
Harmon:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Donahue:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80-90%     >90%
Tie:     40-50%     50%     No data
Auditor before election

Mike Harmon
Republican

Elected Auditor

Mike Harmon
Republican

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Kelsey Hayes Coots, teacher [1]
  • Sheri Donahue, former U.S. Navy engineer [1]
  • Chris Tobe, pension consultant [1]

Withdrew

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Sheri Donahue 134,952 46.7
Democratic Kelsey Hayes Coots95,68533.1
Democratic Chris Tobe58,54820.2
Total votes289,185 100.0

General election

Results

Kentucky State Auditor election, 2019 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mike Harmon (incumbent) 779,730 55.7
Democratic Sheri Donahue574,82041.0
Libertarian Kyle Hugenberg46,5633.3
Total votes1,401,113 100.0
Republican hold

State Treasurer

2019 Kentucky Treasurer General election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
←  2015 November 5, 2019 2023  →
  Allison Ball.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Allison Ball Michael Bowman
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote856,144555,209
Percentage60.7%39.3%
2019 Kentucky State Treasurer election.svg
2019 Kentucky Treasurer election by precinct.svg
Ball:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Bowman:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80-90%     >90%
Tie:     50%     No data
Treasurer before election

Allison Ball
Republican

Elected Treasurer

Allison Ball
Republican

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Michael Bowman, bank manager and former Louisville Metro Council staffer [1]
  • Josh Mers, insurance agent and treasurer for the Lexington Human Rights Commission [1]

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael Bowman 218,174 66.4
Democratic Josh Mers110,34933.6
Total votes328,523 100.0

General election

Results

Kentucky State Treasurer election, 2019 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Allison Ball (incumbent) 856,150 60.7
Democratic Michael Bowman555,25939.3
Total votes1,411,409 100.0
Republican hold

Agriculture Commissioner

2019 Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner General election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
← 2015November 5, 20192023 →
  Ryan-Quarles (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Ryan Quarles Robert Haley Conway
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote821,369545,050
Percentage58.2%38.6%
2019 Kentucky State Agriculture Commissioner election.svg
2019 Kentucky Agricultural Commissioner election by precinct.svg
Quarles:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80-90%     >90%
Conway:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80-90%     >90%
Tie:     40-50%     50%     No data
Agriculture Commissioner before election

Ryan Quarles
Republican

Elected Agriculture Commissioner

Ryan Quarles
Republican

Republican primary

Candidates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Bill
Polyniak		Ryan
Quarles		Undecided
Cygnal [16] May 10–12, 2019600± 4.0%8%35%58%

Results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Ryan Quarles (incumbent) 193,994 82.2
Republican Bill Polyniak41,97117.8
Total votes235,965 100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Robert Haley Conway, district supervisor of the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation Board and former chair of the Scott County Board of Education [1]
  • Joe Trigg, Glasgow city councilman [1]

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Robert Haley Conway 202,894 60.2
Democratic Joe Trigg134,00939.8
Total votes336,903 100.0

General election

Results

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner election, 2019 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Ryan Quarles (incumbent) 821,414 58.2
Democratic Robert Conway545,09938.6
Libertarian Joshua Gilpin44,5963.2
Total votes1,411,409 100.0
Republican hold

Judiciary

Kentucky Supreme Court

Candidates

Results

Results by county: .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Nickell 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Westerfield 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 2019 Kentucky Supreme Court 1st district special election results map by county.svg
Results by county:
  Nickell
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  Westerfield
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%

Both candidates were registered Republicans, but the election was conducted under a non-partisan format. [21]

Kentucky Supreme Court District 1 special election, 2019 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Christopher Shea Nickell 71,991 57.4
Nonpartisan Whitney Westerfield 53,63342.6
Total votes125,624 100.0

Court of Appeals

Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1 special election, 2019 [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Jacqueline Caldwell 62,851 53.7
Nonpartisan Michael Caperton 54,09846.3
Total votes116,949 100.0

Notes

Partisan clients

  1. ↑ Poll sponsored by Democratic Attorney General Association

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Barton, Ryland (January 30, 2019). "Here's Who's Running For Kentucky Governor And Other Offices". WKMS. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2019". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Watch live: Democrat Andy Beshear speaks after declaring victory in Kentucky election". CBS News. November 6, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  4. ↑ Watson, Kathryn (November 6, 2019). "Watch live: Democrat Andy Beshear speaks after declaring victory in Kentucky election". CBS News. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Voter turnout for 2019 general election". WKYT. November 6, 2019.
  6. ↑ J. Miles Coleman. "... Beshear carried #KY03 (Louisville) by 37% & #KY06 (metro Lexington) by 14%. He only won two CDs, but his districts also had the highest turnout. Beshear also kept #KY04 (Cincy suburbs) close," Twitter.
  7. ↑ Lemieux, Melissa (November 5, 2019). "Gov. Matt Bevin refuses to concede Kentucky race, even after Secretary of State calls it for Democrat Andy Beshear". Newsweek. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  8. ↑ Barton, Ryland (November 6, 2019). "Kentucky GOP Gov. Bevin Officially Requests Recanvass Of Election Results". NPR.org. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Gov. Matt Bevin won't contest results, concedes from gubernatorial race". WLKY. November 14, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  10. ↑ ACQUISTO, Alex. "Voter turnout tops 41 percent in tight race for Kentucky governor". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "2019 General Election" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Election calendar" (PDF). elect.ky.gov. 2019.
  13. ↑ Wiegel, David (May 23, 2019). "Democrats look past 2020". Washington Post. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  14. ↑ "President Trump endorses Daniel Cameron in Kentucky attorney general race". WKYT-TV. July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  15. ↑ Crain, Brennan (July 31, 2019). "Trump endorses Cameron for attorney general". WCLU. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  16. 1 2 Cygnal
  17. ↑ Clarity Campaign Labs (D)
  18. ↑ "Democrat Drew Curtis withdraws from auditor's race". Associated Press. April 2, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Appellate judge announces run for Supreme Court seat". Associated Press. February 6, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  20. ↑ Peterson, Erica (October 21, 2019). "Ky. Supreme Court Candidates Offer Starkly Different Resumes". 89.3 WFPL News Louisville. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  21. ↑ Niemeyer, Liam. "Nickell Elected To Kentucky Supreme Court". www.wkms.org.
  22. ↑ "Kentucky intermediate appellate court elections, 2019". Ballotpedia.

Official campaign websites for Secretary of State

Official campaign websites for Auditor

Official campaign websites for Treasurer

Official campaign websites for Agriculture Commissioner

Official campaign websites for Supreme Court

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