Elections in Kentucky

Treemap of the popular vote by county, 2016 presidential election

Elections in the U.S. state of Kentucky are held regularly.[1] Politics in Kentucky has historically been very competitive. The state leaned toward the Democratic Party during the 1860s after the Whig Party dissolved. During the Civil War, the southeastern part of the state aligned with the Union and tended to support Republican candidates thereafter, while the central and western portions remained heavily Democratic even into the following decades. Kentucky would be part of the Democratic Solid South until the mid-20th century.

Since 1952, voters in the Commonwealth supported the three Democratic candidates elected to the White House, all from Southern states: Lyndon B. Johnson from Texas in 1964, Jimmy Carter from Georgia in 1976, and Bill Clinton from Arkansas in 1992 and 1996. But by the 21st century, the state had become a Republican stronghold in federal elections, supporting that party's presidential candidates by double-digit margins since 2000. At the same time, voters have continued to elect Democratic candidates to state and local offices in many jurisdictions. As of April 2024, 46.25 percent of the state's voters were officially registered as Republicans, while 43.36 percent were registered Democrats, whose members tend to be conservative. Some 10.40 percent were registered with another political party or as Independents.[2] Despite the Democratic voter registration advantage, the state has elected Republican candidates for federal office routinely since the beginning of the 21st century.

From 1964 through 2004, Kentucky voted for the eventual winner of the presidential election each time, until losing its bellwether status in the 2008 election. That year Republican John McCain won Kentucky, carrying it 57 percent to 41 percent, but lost the national popular and electoral votes to Democrat Barack Obama. Further hampering Kentucky's status as a bellwether state, 116 of Kentucky's 120 counties supported Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 election, who lost to Barack Obama nationwide.[3][4]

In a 2020 study, Kentucky was ranked as the 8th hardest state for citizens to vote in.[5]

United States presidential election results for Kentucky[6] Year  | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 1,326,646  | 62.05% | 772,474  | 36.13%  | 38,889  | 1.82%
2016 | 1,202,971  | 62.52% | 628,854  | 32.68%  | 92,325  | 4.80%
2012 | 1,087,190  | 60.47% | 679,370  | 37.78%  | 31,488  | 1.75%
2008 | 1,048,462  | 57.37% | 751,985  | 41.15%  | 27,140  | 1.49%
2004 | 1,069,439  | 59.54% | 712,733  | 39.68%  | 13,907  | 0.77%
2000 | 872,492  | 56.50% | 638,898  | 41.37%  | 32,797  | 2.12%
1996 | 623,283  | 44.88%  | 636,614  | 45.84% | 128,811  | 9.28%
1992 | 617,178  | 41.34%  | 665,104  | 44.55% | 210,618  | 14.11%
1988 | 734,281  | 55.52% | 580,368  | 43.88%  | 7,868  | 0.59%
1984 | 822,782  | 60.04% | 539,589  | 39.37%  | 8,090  | 0.59%
1980 | 635,274  | 49.07% | 616,417  | 47.61%  | 42,936  | 3.32%
1976 | 531,852  | 45.57%  | 615,717  | 52.75% | 19,573  | 1.68%
1972 | 676,446  | 63.37% | 371,159  | 34.77%  | 19,894  | 1.86%
1968 | 462,411  | 43.79% | 397,541  | 37.65%  | 195,941  | 18.56%
1964 | 372,977  | 35.65%  | 669,659  | 64.01% | 3,469  | 0.33%
1960 | 602,607  | 53.59% | 521,855  | 46.41%  | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 572,192  | 54.30% | 476,453  | 45.21%  | 5,160  | 0.49%
1952 | 495,029  | 49.84%  | 495,729  | 49.91% | 2,390  | 0.24%
1948 | 341,210  | 41.48%  | 466,756  | 56.74% | 14,692  | 1.79%
1944 | 392,448  | 45.22%  | 472,589  | 54.45% | 2,884  | 0.33%
1940 | 410,384  | 42.30%  | 557,322  | 57.45% | 2,457  | 0.25%
1936 | 369,702  | 39.92%  | 541,944  | 58.51% | 14,560  | 1.57%
1932 | 394,716  | 40.15%  | 580,574  | 59.06% | 7,773  | 0.79%
1928 | 558,734  | 59.36% | 381,070  | 40.48%  | 1,470  | 0.16%
1924 | 398,966  | 48.93% | 374,855  | 45.98%  | 41,511  | 5.09%
1920 | 452,480  | 49.26%  | 456,497  | 49.69% | 9,659  | 1.05%
1916 | 241,854  | 46.50%  | 269,990  | 51.91% | 8,225  | 1.58%
1912 | 115,512  | 25.46%  | 219,584  | 48.40% | 118,602  | 26.14%
1908 | 235,711  | 48.03%  | 244,092  | 49.74% | 10,916  | 2.22%
1904 | 205,457  | 47.13%  | 217,170  | 49.82% | 13,319  | 3.06%
1900 | 227,132  | 48.51%  | 235,126  | 50.21% | 6,007  | 1.28%
1896 | 218,171  | 48.93% | 217,894  | 48.86%  | 9,863  | 2.21%
1892 | 135,462  | 39.74%  | 175,461  | 51.48% | 29,941  | 8.78%
1888 | 155,138  | 44.98%  | 183,830  | 53.30% | 5,900  | 1.71%
1884 | 118,690  | 42.93%  | 152,961  | 55.32% | 4,830  | 1.75%
1880 | 106,490  | 39.87%  | 148,875  | 55.74% | 11,739  | 4.39%
1876 | 97,568  | 37.44%  | 160,060  | 61.41% | 2,998  | 1.15%
1872 | 88,766  | 46.44%  | 99,995  | 52.32% | 2,374  | 1.24%
1868 | 39,566  | 25.45%  | 115,889  | 74.55% | 0  | 0.00%
1864 | 27,787  | 30.17%  | 64,301  | 69.83% | 0  | 0.00%
1860 | 1,364  | 0.93%  | 25,651  | 17.54%  | 119,201  | 81.52%
1856 | 0  | 0.00%  | 74,642  | 52.54% | 67,416  | 47.46%
1852 | 57,428  | 51.44% | 53,949  | 48.32%  | 266  | 0.24%
1848 | 67,145  | 57.46% | 49,720  | 42.54%  | 0  | 0.00%
1844 | 61,249  | 54.09% | 51,988  | 45.91%  | 0  | 0.00%
1840 | 58,488  | 64.20% | 32,616  | 35.80%  | 0  | 0.00%
1836 | 36,861  | 52.59% | 33,229  | 47.41%  | 0  | 0.00%

## Voter Registration

[edit]

Voter registration and party enrollment as of June 15, 2021[2]

Party  | Number of voters  | Percentage
| Republican | 1,593,476  | 45.40%
| Democratic | 1,529,360  | 43.24%
| Other  | 333,058  | 9.36%
Total  | 3,560,376  | 100%
Elections in Kentucky

Federal government

|  Presidential elections

* 1792
* 1796
* 1800
* 1804
* 1808
* 1812
* 1816
* 1820
* 1824
* 1828
* 1832
* 1836
* 1840
* 1844
* 1848
* 1852
* 1856
* 1860
* 1864
* 1868
* 1872
* 1876
* 1880
* 1884
* 1888
* 1892
* 1896
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1916
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1940
* 1944
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

Presidential primaries

Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024

Republican
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections

* 1792
* 1793
* 1794
* 1798
* 1800
* 1804
* 1805 sp
* 1806
* 1806 sp
* 1811
* 1813
* 1814 sp
* 1815 sp
* 1816
* 1816 sp
* 1818
* 1819 sp
* 1820 sp
* 1823
* 1824 sp
* 1829
* 1831 sp
* 1835
* 1836
* 1841
* 1842
* 1842 sp
* 1843
* 1848
* 1849
* 1849 sp
* 1851
* 1851 sp
* 1854
* 1858
* 1859
* 1861 sp
* 1865
* 1867
* 1868 sp
* 1871
* 1872
* 1873 sp
* 1876
* 1879
* 1882
* 1884
* 1888
* 1890
* 1890 sp
* 1893 sp
* 1894
* 1897
* 1900
* 1902
* 1906
* 1908
* 1912
* 1914
* 1914 sp
* 1918
* 1920
* 1924
* 1926
* 1930
* 1930 sp
* 1932
* 1936
* 1938
* 1940 sp
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946 sp
* 1948
* 1950
* 1950 sp
* 1952 sp
* 1954
* 1956
* 1956 sp
* 1960
* 1962
* 1966
* 1968
* 1972
* 1974
* 1978
* 1980
* 1984
* 1986
* 1990
* 1992
* 1996
* 1998
* 2002
* 2004
* 2008
* 2010
* 2014
* 2016
* 2020
* 2022
* 2026
* 2028

U.S. House of Representatives elections

* 1792
* 1793
* 1795
* 1797
* 1799
* 1801
* 1803
* 1804
* 1806
* 1808
* 1810
* 5th sp
* 1812
* 1813
* 8th sp
* 1814
* 2nd sp
* 1815
* 2nd sp
* 1816
* 1st sp
* 1818
* 1820
* 1821
* 8th sp
* 1822
* 1824
* 1825
* 3rd sp
* 1826
* 5th sp
* 12th sp
* 1827
* 11th sp
* 1828
* 2nd sp
* 1829
* 1831
* 1833
* 1834
* 5th sp
* 1835
* 1837
* 1839
* 1841
* 1843
* 1845
* 1847
* 1849
* 1851
* 1853
* 1854
* 3rd sp
* 1855
* 1857
* 1859
* 1861
* 1862
* 2nd sp
* 1863
* 1865
* 1866
* 3rd sp
* 5th sp
* 6th sp
* 1867
* 3rd sp
* 1868
* 1870
* 3rd sp
* 1872
* 1874
* 1876
* 1878
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 1886
* 1888
* 1890
* 6th sp
* 1892
* 1894
* 9th sp
* 10th sp
* 1896
* 1898
* 1899
* 7th sp
* 1900
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1923
* 7th sp
* 1924
* 9th sp
* 1925
* 3rd sp
* 1926
* 1928
* 1929
* 3rd sp
* 1930
* 2nd sp
* 1932
* 1934
* 1935
* 4th sp
* 1936
* 1937
* 2nd sp
* 1938
* 1940
* 1942
* 1943
* 4th sp
* 1944
* 1946
* 1948
* 2nd sp
* 9th sp
* 1950
* 1951
* 6th sp
* 1952
* 2nd sp
* 1953
* 2nd sp
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962
* 1964
* 1966
* 1968
* 1970
* 1971
* 6th sp
* 1972
* 1974
* 1976
* 1978
* 1980
* 1982
* 1984
* 1986
* 1988
* 1990
* 1992
* 1994
* 2nd sp
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 6th sp
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 4th sp
* 2014
* 2016
* 1st sp
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

State government

|  State elections

* 2007
* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Gubernatorial elections

* 1792
* 1796
* 1800
* 1804
* 1808
* 1812
* 1816
* 1820
* 1824
* 1828
* 1832
* 1836
* 1840
* 1844
* 1848
* 1851
* 1855
* 1859
* 1863
* 1867
* 1868 sp
* 1871
* 1875
* 1879
* 1883
* 1887
* 1891
* 1895
* 1899
* 1900 sp
* 1903
* 1907
* 1911
* 1915
* 1919
* 1923
* 1927
* 1931
* 1935
* 1939
* 1943
* 1947
* 1951
* 1955
* 1959
* 1963
* 1967
* 1971
* 1975
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023
* 2027

Secretary of State elections

* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Attorney General elections

* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

State Treasurer elections

* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

State Auditor elections

* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Agriculture Commissioner elections

* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Senate elections

* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024
* Special

House of Representatives elections

* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024
* Special

Supreme Court elections

* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2015 sp
* 2016
* 2018
* 2019 sp
* 2020
* 2022
* 2024

Ballot measures

2004
Amendment 1
2022
Amendment 2
2024
Amendment 2

Lexington

|  Mayoral elections

* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Louisville

|  Mayoral elections

* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

Government

* v
* t
* e

## Federal elections

[edit]

### US House

[edit]

Main article: United States congressional delegations from Kentucky

Elections to the United States House of Representatives are held biennially.

* 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky
* 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky
* 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky
* 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky
* 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky

### US Senate

[edit]

Main article: List of United States senators from Kentucky

Elections to the United States Senate are held every six years.

* 2022 Senate election
* 2020 Senate election

## State elections

[edit]

### Gubernatorial elections

[edit]

* 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election
* 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election
* 2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election
* 2011 Kentucky gubernatorial election

### State legislative elections

[edit]

* 2022 Kentucky House of Representatives election
* 2020 Kentucky House of Representatives election
* 2018 Kentucky House of Representatives election
* 2016 Kentucky House of Representatives election
* 2004 Kentucky House of Representatives election
* 2022 Kentucky Senate election
* 2020 Kentucky Senate election

## See also

[edit]

* 2024 Kentucky elections
* United States presidential elections in Kentucky
* Elections in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kentucky: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links - Vote.org". vote.org. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
2. ^ a b "Election Statistics Registration Statistics". elect.ky.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
3. ^ "2012 Kentucky Presidential Results". POLITICO. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
4. ^ POLITICO. "2012 Election Results Map by State – Live Voting Updates". POLITICO. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
5. ^ J. Pomante II, Michael; Li, Quan (15 Dec 2020). "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020". Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy. 19 (4): 503–509. doi:10.1089/elj.2020.0666. S2CID 225139517. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
6. ^ Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Kentucky". US Election Atlas. Retrieved December 31, 2009.

## External links

[edit]

* "State Elections Legislation Database", Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures, "State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020"

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Commonwealth of Kentucky

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Counties|

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