Kentucky 2008 General Election

The Green Papers: Kentucky 2008 General Election

This page is for offices up for election in 2008. Find 2009 elections here.

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Kentucky
Elections for Statewide offices and Congress
Primary: Tuesday 20 May 2008
General Election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

Electoral Votes:	8	(1.49% of 538)
Governor:	1
Senators:	2	(Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
2002-2010 Representatives:	6	(1.38% of 435)
2000 Census:	4,049,431	(1.44% of 281,998,273)
Estimated Voting age population (November 2000):	2,993,000
Registered Voters (November 2000):	2,556,815
Capital:	Frankfort
Tuesday 20 May 2008 polling hours 6:00a EDT (1000 UTC) / 6:00a CDT (1100 UTC) to 6:00p EDT (2200 UTC) / 6:00p CDT (2300 UTC). Poll closing time could be rather problematic in KENTUCKY. A large chunk of the state is in CDT [but the networks consider that "most of the polls have closed" in KENTUCKY by 6 PM EDT and so, if they can, project at the same time they project INDIANA]. CDT voters in KENTUCKY may note the networks' willingness/eagerness to project a winner as early as 6 PM EDT.
Tuesday 4 November 2008 polling hours 6:00a EST (1100 UTC) / 6:00a CST (1200 UTC) to 6:00p EST (2300 UTC) / 6:00p CST (0000 UTC). Poll closing time could be rather problematic in KENTUCKY. A large chunk of the state is in CST [but the networks consider that "most of the polls have closed" in KENTUCKY by 6 PM EST and so, if they can, project at the same time they project INDIANA]. CST voters in KENTUCKY may note the networks' willingness/eagerness to project a winner as early as 6 PM EST.

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Kentucky State and Local Government

Kentucky 2008 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions:
Democrats, Republicans, Third Parties

10 December 2008: Commonwealth of Kentucky - 2008 General Election Results and Statistics

18 September 2008: Synchronized with Kentucky Secretary of State. The last day to file a write-in candidate is 24 October.

20 May 2008 results from an official source.



President 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime. Electors: 8 (Winner-take-all), How Appointed, Meeting Place, Duly Appointed Presidential Electors, List of Presidential Candidates.


		Republican	1,048,462	57.40%	Senator John Sidney McCain, III (8 Electoral Votes) • Vice President: Governor Sarah H. Palin • FEC P80002801: $399,826,076

		Democratic	751,985	41.17%	Senator Barack Hussein Obama • Vice President: Senator Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. • FEC P80003338: $778,642,047

		Independent	15,378	0.84%	Ralph Nader • Vice President: Matt Gonzalez • FEC P20000527: $4,520,160

		Libertarian	5,989	0.33%	former Congressman Bob Barr • Vice President: Wayne Allyn Root • FEC P80005580: $1,405,899

		Constitution	4,694	0.26%	Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin • Vice President: Robert E. Thornsberry • FEC P80005499: $262,010

		Write-in			Leonard C. Habermehl • Vice President: Steven K. Miller
		Write-in			Keith Russell Judd • Vice President: Morty Wayne Judd • FEC P60003530: $532,837
		Write-in; (America's Independent)			former Ambassador Alan L. Keyes • Vice President: Brian Rohrbough • FEC P60003076: $481,991
		Write-in; (Green)			former Congressman Cynthia A. McKinney • Vice President: Rosa A. Clemente • FEC P80004930: $240,360
		Write-in			William Louis "Billy" Mills, Jr. • Vice President: David Hinton • FEC P80005127: $175
		Write-in			Shelley Ren�e Upchurch • Vice President: Billy Joe Upchurch
Total			1,826,508	100.00%

U.S. Senate 6 year term. No Term Limit. 110^th Senate Senate Electoral Classes

Class 2		Republican	Senator Mitch McConnell • Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008 • First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008 • Renominated - 20 May 2008 Primary
		Polls: Leans Republican - Republican Senator Mitch McConnell

		Republican	953,816	52.97%	Senator Mitch McConnell • FEC S2KY00012: $18,681,961

		Democratic	847,005	47.03%	Bruce Lunsford • FEC S8KY00233: $10,883,172
Total			1,800,821	100.00%

Class 3		Republican	Senator Jim Bunning • First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004. [also served in U.S. House-elected: 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996] • Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

		Independent			Darlene Fitzgerald Price

Governor 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms, All Governors

		Democratic	Governor Steven L. "Steve" Beshear • First elected: 2007 • Chair up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2011 • The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.
	The runoff was removed from [KSR 118.245 (2)] effective 15 July 2008. The old law: "If no Gubernatorial Slate receives 40% of the vote in the their party's primary, the top two slates advance to a run-off". The new law: "The slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor receiving the highest number of votes in a primary shall be the nominees"

Lieutenant Governor 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011. Elected on a ticket with Governor; no separate Primary for Lt Gov from Gov

		Democratic	Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo • First elected: 2007 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2011

110^th U.S. House of Representatives 2 year term, Election Cycle 2006, 2008. No Term Limit. 110^th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition): 4 Republican (3 Renominated, 1 Open); 2 Democratic (2 Renominated)

CD 1 {map}		Republican	Congressman Edward "Ed" Whitfield • Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008 • First elected: 1994 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008 • Renominated - 20 May 2008 Primary
		Polls: Republican Congressman Edward "Ed" Whitfield

		Republican	178,107	64.35%	Congressman Edward "Ed" Whitfield • FEC H4KY01040: $1,020,193

		Democratic	98,674	35.65%	Heather Ann Ryan • FEC H8KY01041: $27,939
Total			276,781	100.00%

CD 2 {map} Open		Republican	Congressman Ron Lewis • First elected: in Special Election, 24 May 1994, re: death of Congressman William Natcher, 29 March 1994 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008 • Open Seat - 29 January 2008: Withdrew
		Polls: Republican state Senator Steven Brett "Brett" Guthrie
			Open Seat (no incumbent)

		Republican	158,936	52.57%	state Senator Steven Brett "Brett" Guthrie • FEC H8KY02031: $1,282,672

		Democratic	143,379	47.43%	state Senator David E. Boswell • FEC H8KY02049: $916,853
Total			302,315	100.00%

CD 3 {map}		Democratic	Congressman John A. Yarmuth • Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008 • First elected: 2006 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008 • Renominated - 20 May 2008 Primary
		Polls: Leans Democratic - Democratic Congressman John A. Yarmuth

		Democratic	203,843	59.37%	Congressman John A. Yarmuth • FEC H6KY03124: $2,136,760

		Republican	139,527	40.63%	former Congressman Anne M. Northup • FEC H6KY03090: $1,705,223

		Libertarian; (Republican)	0	0.00%	~~Edward Anthony "Ed" Martin - apparently not a candidate~~ • Removed from the ballot 9 October 2008 by the the Kentucky State Court of Appeals. Because the ballots have been printed, the Court instructed elections officials to post notices at the polls stating that votes cast for Mr. Martin would not be counted. • FEC H8KY03179: Financial report not available
Total			343,370	100.00%

CD 4 {map}		Republican	Congressman Geoffrey C. "Geoff" Davis • Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008 • First elected: 2004 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008 • Renominated - 20 May 2008 Primary
		Polls: Republican Congressman Geoffrey C. "Geoff" Davis

		Republican	190,210	63.03%	Congressman Geoffrey C. "Geoff" Davis • FEC H2KY04071: $2,100,351

		Democratic	111,549	36.97%	Michael J. Kelley • FEC H8KY04094: $20,492
Total			301,759	100.00%

CD 5 {map}		Republican	Congressman Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers • Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008 • First elected: 1980 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008 • Renominated - 20 May 2008 Primary
		Polls: Republican Congressman Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers

		Republican	177,024	84.11%	Congressman Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers • FEC H0KY05015: $611,926

		Independent	33,444	15.89%	James E. "Jim" Holbert • FEC H8KY05042: Financial report not available
Total			210,468	100.00%

CD 6 {map}		Democratic	Congressman A.B. "Ben" Chandler, III • Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008 • First elected 17 February 2004 in a special election, replacing Congressman Ernie Fletcher [Republican], who resigned on 9 December 2003, having been elected Governor of Kentucky. Elected to a first full term: 2004 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008 • Renominated - 20 May 2008 Primary
		Polls: Democratic Congressman A.B. "Ben" Chandler, III

		Democratic	203,764	64.66%	Congressman A.B. "Ben" Chandler, III • FEC H4KY06072: $1,034,153

		Republican	111,378	35.34%	Jon Larson • FEC H8KY06131: Financial report not available
Total			315,142	100.00%

Secretary of State 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011

		Republican	Secretary of State C. M. "Trey" Grayson • First elected: 2003; re-elected: 2007 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2011

Attorney General 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011

		Democratic	Attorney General Jack Conway • First elected: 2007 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2011

Treasurer 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011

		Democratic	Treasurer L.J. "Todd" Hollenbach • First elected: 2007 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2011

Auditor of Public Accounts 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011

		Democratic	Auditor of Public Accounts Crit Luallen • First elected: 2003; re-elected: 2007 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2011

Commissioner of Agriculture 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2007, 2011

		Republican	Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer • First elected: 2003; re-elected: 2007 • Seat up for election: Tuesday 8 November 2011

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
	• Democratic (affiliates): 7 incumbents, 7 candidates
	• Republican: 8 incumbents, 8 candidates
Major Third Parties
	• Green (affiliates): 1 candidate
	• Libertarian: 1 candidate
Other Third Parties
	• America's Independent (affiliates): 1 candidate
	• Constitution (affiliates): 1 candidate
Independents
	• Independent: 3 candidates
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
	• Write-in: 6 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 an election authority that the person so listed will actually appear on the ballot.

FEC indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary "Total Receipts" for candidates for Federal Office.