The Green Papers: Kentucky 2018 General Election
 
This page is for offices up for election in 2018. Find 2019 elections here.

Flag images courtesy of The World Flag Database. Copyright http://www.flags.net/ Kentucky
Elections for Statewide offices and Congress
✓ Primary: Tuesday 22 May 2018
✓ General Election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
Tuesday 30 January 2018 - Filing Deadline - Primary .
Tuesday 22 May 2018 - Primary . Polling hours 6:00a-6:00p EDT (1000-2200 UTC) / 6:00a-6:00p CDT (1100-2300 UTC). Poll closing time could be rather problematic in KENTUCKY. A large chunk of the state is in Central Time [but the networks consider that "most of the polls have closed" in KENTUCKY by 6 PM Eastern Time and so, if they can, project at the same time they project INDIANA]. Central Time voters in KENTUCKY may note the networks' willingness/eagerness to project a winner as early as 6 PM Eastern Time.
Tuesday 14 August 2018 - Filing Deadline - Independent/Third/Minor .
Tuesday 6 November 2018 - General Election . Polling hours 6:00a-6:00p EST (1100-2300 UTC) / 6:00a-6:00p CST (1200-0000 UTC). Poll closing time could be rather problematic in KENTUCKY. A large chunk of the state is in Central Time [but the networks consider that "most of the polls have closed" in KENTUCKY by 6 PM Eastern Time and so, if they can, project at the same time they project INDIANA]. Central Time voters in KENTUCKY may note the networks' willingness/eagerness to project a winner as early as 6 PM Eastern Time.
 
Senators:2(Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
Governor:1 
2010 Census:4,350,606 (1.40% of 309,785,186)
2012, 2016, 2020 Electoral Votes:8(1.49% of 538)
2012-2020 Representatives:6(1.38% of 435)
Capital:Frankfort
 

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Kentucky State and Local Government


27 January 2017: HB 81 and SB 52 have been introduced to move elections for statewide executive offices from the odd year prior to a Presidential election year to Presidential election years. Statewide offices up for election in 2019 would have 5 year terms (to 2024). After that, there would be no statewide off year elections.

The primary is for the Democratic and Republican parties. If the nomination is uncontested, the candidate does not appear on the primary ballot.


2018 KENTUCKY ELECTION CALENDAR from the Kentucky State Board of Elections.

Candidate Filings from the Kentucky State Board of Elections.

22 May Primary
Returns for the Kentucky State Board of Elections.
Results from
The New York Times
Results from Politico.


6 November 2018:
Candidate Filings from the Kentucky State Board of Elections.
Certified returns from the Kentucky State Board of Elections.

 
           

U.S. Senate  6 year term. No Term Limit. 115th Senate  Senate Electoral Classes

Class 2 Republican Senator Mitch McConnell
First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
 Candidate list (3)
  Candidate Democratic     Steven Jewell Isom Cox
FEC S0KY00271
  Candidate Democratic     Andrew J. Maynard
FEC S0KY00289
  Candidate Republican     Senator Mitch McConnell
4 August 2018: Announced that he will run for re-election in 2020.

FEC S2KY00012

Class 3 Republican Senator Rand Paul
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2016.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms, All Governors

  Republican Governor Matthew Griswold "Matt" Bevin
First elected: 2015
Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019
The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.
 Candidate list (3)
  Candidate Democratic     state Representative Rocky Adkins
for Lieutenant Governor: Jefferson County School Board of Education Steph Horne
  Candidate Democratic     Attorney General Andy Beshear
for Lieutenant Governor: Jacqueline Coleman
  Candidate Republican     Governor Matthew Griswold "Matt" Bevin
25 August 2018: Announced he would run for re-election.

Lieutenant Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019. Elected on a ticket with Governor; no separate Primary for Lt Gov from Gov

  Republican Lieutenant Governor Jenean Hampton
First elected: 2015
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019

115th U.S. House of Representatives  2-year term. Election Cycle 2018, 2020. No Term Limit. 115th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition):
5 Republican (5 Renominated);
1 Democratic (1 Renominated)

Incumbent - 115th Congress
CD 1
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman James R. Comer
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2018
First elected in a Special [re: 6 September 2016 resignation of Congressman Wayne Edward "Ed" Whitfield (Republican)] and General Election: 8 November 2016
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
Renominated
 Candidate list (2) - 116th Congress
  Elected Republican 172,167 68.59% Congressman James R. Comer
FEC H6KY01110; 26 Nov 18; Tot $714,196; Dsb $628,812
  Candidate Democratic 78,849 31.41% Paul Walker
FEC H8KY01074; 26 Nov 18; Tot $51,454; Dsb $50,083
Total 251,016 100.00%  

Incumbent - 115th Congress
CD 2
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Steven Brett "Brett" Guthrie
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2018
First elected: 2008
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
Renominated
 Candidate list (3) - 116th Congress
  Elected Republican 171,700 66.72% Congressman Steven Brett "Brett" Guthrie
FEC H8KY02031; 26 Nov 18; Tot $1,970,412; Dsb $1,671,613
  Candidate Democratic 79,964 31.07% Hank Linderman
FEC H8KY02080; 26 Nov 18; Tot $183,296; Dsb $172,350
  Candidate Independent 5,681 2.21% Thomas A. "Tom" Loecken
FEC H8KY02106
Total 257,345 100.00%  

Incumbent - 115th Congress
CD 3
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Congressman John A. Yarmuth
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2018
First elected: 2006
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
Renominated
 Candidate list (3) - 116th Congress
  Elected Democratic 173,002 62.07% Congressman John A. Yarmuth
FEC H6KY03124; 26 Nov 18; Tot $950,857; Dsb $1,133,574
  Candidate Republican 101,930 36.57% former state Health Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson
FEC H8KY03211; 26 Nov 18; Tot $750,096; Dsb $711,862
  Candidate Libertarian 3,788 1.36% Gregory Boles
FEC H8KY03229
Total 278,720 100.00%  

Incumbent - 115th Congress
CD 4
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Thomas H. Massie
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2018
First elected in special election to the 112th Congress and a concurrent regular election to the 113th Congress: 6 November 2012
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
Renominated
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in) - 116th Congress
  Elected Republican 162,946 62.24% Congressman Thomas H. Massie
FEC H2KY04121; 26 Nov 18; Tot $371,092; Dsb $365,360
  Candidate Democratic 90,536 34.58% Seth Blane Hall
FEC H8KY04169; 17 Oct 18; Tot $76,212; Dsb $38,261
  Candidate Independent 8,318 3.18% Mike Moffett
FEC H8KY04193
  Candidate Write-in; (Independent) 12 0.00% David Goodwin
FEC H8KY04151
Total 261,812 100.00%  

Incumbent - 115th Congress
CD 5
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2018
First elected: 1980
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
Renominated
 Candidate list (2, 1 write-in) - 116th Congress
  Elected Republican 172,093 78.94% Congressman Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers
FEC H0KY05015; 26 Nov 18; Tot $888,856; Dsb $941,956
  Candidate Democratic 45,890 21.05% Kenneth Stephenson Stepp
FEC H6KY05111; 26 Nov 18; Tot $2,215; Dsb $2,182
  Candidate Write-in 34 0.02% Billy Ray Wilson
Total 218,017 100.00%  

Incumbent - 115th Congress
CD 6
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Garland "Andy" Barr
• Re-elected Tuesday 6 November 2018
First elected: 2012
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
Renominated
 Candidate list (5) - 116th Congress
  Elected Republican 154,468 51.00% Congressman Garland "Andy" Barr
FEC H0KY06104; 26 Nov 18; Tot $5,295,753; Dsb $5,518,989
  Candidate Democratic 144,736 47.79% Amy McGrath
FEC H8KY06164; 26 Nov 18; Tot $8,618,908; Dsb $8,139,272
  Candidate Libertarian 2,150 0.71% Frank Harris
FEC H8KY06222
  Candidate Independent 1,011 0.33% Rikka L. Wallin
FEC H8KY06214
  Candidate Independent 523 0.17% James Germalic
FEC H8KY06230
Total 302,888 100.00%  

Secretary of State  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019

  Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes
First elected: 2011; re-elected: 2015
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019
 Candidate list (4)
  Candidate Democratic     Jason Griffith
  Candidate Republican     state Elections Board Member Michael G. Adams
  Candidate Republican     former Erlanger City Councilman Stephen L. "Steve" Knipper
  Candidate Republican     Carl Nett

Attorney General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019

  Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear
First elected: 2015
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019
Open Seat - 9 July 2018: Candidate for Governor in 2019.
 Candidate list (1)
  Candidate Republican     state Senator Whitney Westerfield

Treasurer  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019

  Republican Treasurer Allison Ball
First elected: 2015
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019

Auditor of Public Accounts  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019

  Republican Auditor of Public Accounts Mike Harmon
First elected: 2011; re-elected: 2015
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019

Commissioner of Agriculture  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2015, 2019

  Republican Agriculture Commissioner Ryan F. Quarles
First elected: 2015
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2019
 

Political Parties    Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such.

Major Parties   Those parties which received electoral votes through winning a plurality of a state's [or the District of Columbia's] popular vote in any presidential election between 1984 and 2016. See Classification of Political parties.
  Democratic (affiliates): 3 incumbents, 11 candidates
  Republican: 12 incumbents, 12 candidates
Major Third Parties   Any Party, other than a Major Party, receiving a minimum of 15/100ths of 1 percent of the nationwide popular vote in any presidential election between 1984 and 2016. See Classification of Political parties.
  Libertarian: 2 candidates
Independents
  Independent: 5 candidates
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
  Write-in: 2 candidates
 
Candidates running under the banner of more than one party are counted towards each party's total. A candidate who has lost a primary or is apparently no longer a candidate is not counted.

Notes

Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from a legal election authority that the person has been officially certified to appear on the ballot.

Primary dates marked "presumably" and polling times marked "reportedly" are based on unofficial or estimated data (especially as regards local variations from a jurisdictionwide statutory and/or regulatory standard) and are, thereby, subject to change.

"FEC" indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary.

When available, we post each candidate's FEC identification number, the date of their most recently filed Report of Receipts and Disbursements, their "Tot" [Total Receipts (contributions received or what came in: FEC Form 3, Line 16, Column B)] and their "Dsb" [Total Disbursements (expenditures or what was spent: FEC Form 3, Line 23, Column B)]. A link is provided to the Federal Election Commission's Summary Report for those who might wish to explore the details.

If a candidate raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not subject to FEC reporting requirements.


 


  2018 General Election Home  
 
  116th U.S. Senate Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party  
  Gubernatorial Popular Vote by Party  
  116th U.S. House Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party  
  Close Contests Summary - Decision by 2% or less  
  Contests Where No Candidate Received a Majority  
 
2018 Primaries and Runoffs for Statewide offices/Congress
  Alphabetically   --   Alphabetically with Filing Deadlines  
  Chronologically   --   Chronologically with Filing Deadlines  
  Poll Closing Times (with time zones)  
....
General Election Poll Closing Times (with time zones)
  Alphabetically   --   Chronologically  
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Poll Closing Times (list)
  All Elections     Primary/Special Elections     General Elections  
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  Governors     Senate     House  
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  Senators by 'Class'  
  Governors by election 'cycle'  
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  Gubernatorial Primaries at a Glance   --   Senatorial Primaries at a Glance  
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  Open Governor's Chairs, Senate and House Seats (the incumbent is not running for re-election)  
  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with no incumbent running for them  
  Uncontested Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats (one candidate running for office)  
  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with multiple incumbents running for them  
  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with only one major party candidate running for office  
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  2018 Partisan Composition by State  
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  Political Parties  
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  Senate Electoral Classes  
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  Statewide Political Party Strength going into the 2018 Midterm Elections  
  Relative Political Party Strength by SECTION and Region going into the 2018 Midterm Election  
  Weighted Relative Political Party Strength by SECTION and Region  
  2018 Congressional Party Breakdown by Region  
  2018 STATE EXECUTIVE/LEGISLATIVE Political Party Breakdown by SECTION and Region  
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  Comparative Political Party Predominance in each State, 2000 thru 2016  
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History
  Political Party Floor Leaders in the Congress of the United States  
  Dates of DIRECT PRIMARY Elections re: Major Party Nominations for Statewide and/or Federal Office  
  Length of Terms of Office of STATE Governors throughout American History  
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  (downloads)