2023 Kentucky Secretary of State election

For related races, see 2023 United States secretary of state elections.

This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Update to certified votes. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (June 2024)

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2023 Kentucky Secretary of State election

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| <- 2019 | November 7, 2023 (2023-11-07) | 2027 ->

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|  |  |

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Nominee  | Michael Adams | Buddy Wheatley |
Party  | Republican | Democratic
Popular vote  | 787,198 | 510,743
Percentage  | 60.6% | 39.3%

* * *

County results

Congressional district results

State senate district results

State house district results

Adams: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Wheatley: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%

* * *

| Secretary of State before election

Michael Adams
Republican

| Elected Secretary of State

Michael Adams
Republican

|

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* e

The 2023 Kentucky Secretary of State election took place on November 7, 2023, to elect the Secretary of State of Kentucky. Incumbent secretary of state Michael Adams won re-election to a second term after he defeated Democratic nominee Buddy Wheatley. Primaries were held on May 16, 2023.

## Republican primary

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

#### Nominee

[edit]

* Michael Adams, incumbent secretary of state[1]

#### Eliminated in primary

[edit]

* Stephen Knipper, former Erlanger city councilor, nominee for Secretary of State in 2015 and candidate in 2019[2]
* Allen Maricle, former state representative (1994–1998)[3]

### Results

[edit]

Results by county:

Adams

* 40–50%

* 50–60%

* 60–70%

* 70–80%

Knipper

* 40–50%

* 50–60%

Republican primary results  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

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| Republican | Michael Adams | 171,288  | 63.9
| Republican | Stephen Knipper  | 70,993  | 26.5
| Republican | Allen Maricle | 25,772  | 9.6
Total votes | 268,053  | 100

## Democratic primary

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

#### Nominee

[edit]

* Buddy Wheatley, former state representative (2019–2023)[4]

#### Declined

[edit]

* Neville Blakemore, construction executive and candidate for state treasurer in 2015[5]

#### Endorsements

[edit]

Buddy Wheatley

Organizations

* United Mine Workers of America[6]
* Kentucky State AFL-CIO[7]

## General election

[edit]

### Predictions

[edit]

Source  | Ranking  | As of

|
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Sabato's Crystal Ball[8] | Likely R  | June 21, 2023

### Polling

[edit]

Poll source  | Date(s)
administered  | Sample
size[a] | Margin
of error  | Michael
Adams (R)  | Buddy
Wheatley (D)  | Undecided

|
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|
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Public Opinion Strategies (R)[9][A] | July 19–20, 2023  | 500 (LV)  | ± 4.4%  | 48% | 24%  | 26%

### Debates

[edit]

2023 Kentucky Secretary of State debate[10] No. | Date  | Host  | Link  | Republican | Democratic

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P Participant  A Absent  I Invitee |  |
Michael Adams | Buddy Wheatley
1  | October 19, 2023  | WLKY | YouTube | P | P

### Results

[edit]

2023 Kentucky Secretary of State election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
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| Republican |

* Michael Adams (incumbent)

| 783,695  | 60.59%  | +8.33%
| Democratic |

* Buddy Wheatley

| 509,308  | 39.38%  | −8.36%
| Write-in | 460  | 0.04%  |
Total votes | 1,293,463  | 100.00%  |

#### By congressional district

[edit]

Adams won 5 of 6 congressional districts.[11]

District  | Adams  | Wheatley  | Representative

|
|
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1st | 69% | 31%  | James Comer
2nd | 66% | 34%  | Brett Guthrie
3rd | 41%  | 59% | Morgan McGarvey
4th | 63% | 37%  | Thomas Massie
5th | 73% | 27%  | Hal Rogers
6th | 57% | 43%  | Andy Barr

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Poll commissioned by the Republican State Leadership Committee

1. ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams makes decision on reelection bid". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
2. ^ Robinson, Brandon (January 19, 2023). "Chief of staff for former Lt. Governor files to run for Kentucky Secretary of State". WYMT-TV. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
3. ^ Barr, Thomas (September 7, 2022). "Maricle looks at run for secretary of state office". PMG-KY1.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
4. ^ Storm, Nick (December 20, 2022). "Rep. Buddy Wheatley Announces Run for Secretary of State". www.kentuckyfried.com. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
5. ^ Horn, Austin (December 5, 2022). "Aside from Beshear, which Ky. Dems are running in 2023? Few have announced". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022.
6. ^ "Kentucky - COMPAC Endorsements". Archived from the original on April 17, 2023.
7. ^ "Endorsements 2023 | Kentucky State AFL-CIO". ky.aflcio.org. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
8. ^ "The 2023 and 2024 Attorney General and Secretary of State Races". Sabato's Crystal Ball. June 22, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
9. ^ Public Opinion Strategies (R)
10. ^ "WLKY hosts Kentucky secretary of state debate". October 19, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
11. ^ https://lookerstudio.google.com/reporting/75e97d20-411d-4954-9f27-8cc57a80aa96/page/p_zagwlwambd

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