2023 Kentucky elections explained

Election Name:2023 Kentucky elections
Country:Kentucky
Ongoing:yes
Previous Election:2022 Kentucky elections
Previous Year:2022
Next Election:2024 Kentucky elections
Next Year:2024

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 7, 2023.[1]

Notably, few Democratic candidates ran for statewide offices. The Lexington Herald-Leader attributed this to Kentucky's strong Republican lean and the fact that Republicans gained seats in the Kentucky General Assembly in 2022. However, Democrats have pointed to recent victories by liberal judges in nonpartisan elections and the defeat of a 2022 ballot measure that would have removed abortion rights from the Kentucky Constitution as signs that they can still win in the state. In addition to the candidates listed below, former state representative Attica Scott was speculated as a potential statewide candidate, but she did not run for any office in 2023.[2]

Governor

See main article: 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election. Incumbent governor Andy Beshear ran for re-election.[3] He faced Republican nominee, incumbent attorney general Daniel Cameron. Due to his high favorability ratings, Beshear was considered the favorite in the election; however, polling tightened in the week leading up to the election.[4] Despite this apparent late momentum for Cameron, Beshear went on to comfortably win re-election by five percentage points, improving on his 2019 performance by 4.6 percentage points.

Attorney general

See main article: 2023 Kentucky Attorney General election. Incumbent attorney general Daniel Cameron ran for governor.[5]

Kentucky State Representative for the 43rd District Pamela Stevenson announced a run to succeed Cameron. She was the only high-profile state-level Democrat (barring Andy Beshear and Jacqueline Coleman) to have announced a run for statewide office.[6]

Russell Coleman, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky was the only Republican candidate to have declared a run, and thus won the Republican primary unopposed.[7] [8]

Coleman would go on to win the election by 16 percentage points. He also narrowly improved on Daniel Cameron’s win in 2019 by 0.6 percentage points.

Secretary of state

See main article: 2023 Kentucky Secretary of State election. Incumbent secretary of state Michael Adams ran for re-election.[9] He faced former state representative Charles "Buddy" Wheatley.

Unlike 2019, the race wasn't close. Adams won re-election by 21.3 percentage points, improving upon his past performance by 16.7 percentage points.

Treasurer

Election Name:2023 Kentucky Treasurer General election
Country:Kentucky
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2019 Kentucky elections#State Treasurer
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:2025 Kentucky elections#State Treasurer
Next Year:2025
Election Date:November 7, 2023
Nominee1:Mark Metcalf
Party1:Kentucky Republican Party
Popular Vote1:735,066
Percentage1:57.2%
Nominee2:Michael Bowman
Party2:Kentucky Democratic Party
Popular Vote2:549,257
Percentage2:42.8%
State Treasurer
Before Election:Allison Ball
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Mark Metcalf
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

Incumbent treasurer Allison Ball was term-limited and could not seek re-election. She ran successfully for state auditor.[10]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Endorsements

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Declined
Endorsements

General election

Auditor of Public Accounts

Election Name:2023 Kentucky Auditor General election
Country:Kentucky
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2019 Kentucky Auditor election
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:2025 Kentucky elections#Auditor of Public Accounts
Next Year:2025
Election Date:November 7, 2023
Image1:Allison Ball.jpg
Nominee1:
Party1:Kentucky Republican Party
Popular Vote1:782,736
Percentage1:60.7%
Nominee2:Kim Reeder
Party2:Kentucky Democratic Party
Popular Vote2:505,742
Percentage2:39.3%
State Auitor
Before Election:Mike Harmon
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Allison Ball
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

Incumbent Auditor Mike Harmon was term-limited and could not seek re-election. He ran for governor.[16]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Endorsements

General election

Agriculture Commissioner

Election Name:2023 Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner General election
Country:Kentucky
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2019 Kentucky elections#Agriculture Commissioner
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:2025 Kentucky elections#Agriculture Commissioner
Next Year:2025
Election Date:November 7, 2023
Nominee1:
Party1:Kentucky Republican Party
Popular Vote1:762,992
Percentage1:59.4%
Nominee2:Sierra Enlow
Party2:Kentucky Democratic Party
Popular Vote2:522,335
Percentage2:40.6%
State Auitor
Before Election:Ryan Quarles
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Jonathan Shell
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

Incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles ran for governor.[19]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Declined
Endorsements

General election

Polling

See also

Notes

Partisan clients

External links

Official campaign websites for Secretary of State
Official campaign websites for Treasurer
Official campaign websites for Auditor
Official campaign websites for Agriculture Commissioner

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kentucky elections, 2023 . . September 9, 2022 .
  2. Web site: Horn . Austin . Aside from Beshear, which Ky. Dems are running in 2023? Few have announced. . . https://archive.today/20221214215426/https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article269606331.html . 14 December 2022 . 5 December 2022 . live.
  3. Web site: Brammer . Jack . Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear files for re-election in 2023 . . 9 September 2022 . 1 October 2021.
  4. Web site: Kentucky 2023 Poll: Cameron Catches up to Beshear in Governor's Race . November 3, 2023 .
  5. Web site: Evans . Zachary . Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron Announces Gubernatorial Run . . 9 September 2022 . 11 May 2022.
  6. Web site: 2022-12-07 . Aside from Beshear, which Ky. Dems are running in 2023? Few have announced. . 2023-02-06 . Emerge . en.
  7. Web site: Russell Coleman announces run for Kentucky AG in 2023 . . 24 June 2022 . 12 May 2022.
  8. Web site: Election Candidate Filings - Attorney General . 2023-01-06 . web.sos.ky.gov.
  9. Web site: Shreve . Bryce . Secy. of State Michael Adams running for reelection in 2023 . . 9 September 2022 . 5 August 2022.
  10. Web site: Storm . Nick . Treasurer Allison Ball Announces Campaign for KY Auditor . www.kentuckyfried.com . 25 July 2022 . 9 September 2022.
  11. News: State Treasurer candidate Metcalf makes stop in Pulaski.
  12. Web site: Storm . Nick . Liberty Candidate Declares Run for KY Treasurer . www.kentuckyfried.com . 10 September 2022 . 5 July 2022.
  13. Web site: Election Candidate Filings - State Treasurer . 2023-01-06 . web.sos.ky.gov.
  14. Web site: Storm . Nick . AICKU President OJ Oleka Clears His Runway for Statewide Office . www.kentuckyfried.com . 9 June 2022.
  15. Web site: Storm . Nick . Michael Bowman Announces Campaign for State Treasurer . www.kentuckyfried.com . 5 January 2023.
  16. Web site: Sonka . Joe . Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon is running for governor . . 10 September 2022 . 12 July 2021.
  17. Web site: Election Candidate Filings - Auditor of Public Accounts . 2023-01-06 . web.sos.ky.gov.
  18. Web site: Horn . Austin . Quarles still ahead, but Craft surging and Cameron gaining in GOP primary fundraising . . 7 November 2022 . https://archive.today/20221005201100/https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article266851916.html . 5 October 2022 . 5 October 2022 . live.
  19. Web site: Schreiner . Bruce . GOP's Quarles announces run for Kentucky governor in 2023 . . 9 September 2022 . 30 April 2022.
  20. Web site: Schreiner . Bruce . Ex-Rep. Jonathan Shell running for agriculture commissioner . . 10 September 2022 . 26 August 2021.
  21. Web site: Heath launches another bid for Kentucky ag commissioner . spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville . 10 September 2022 . 15 August 2021.
  22. Web site: Election Candidate Filings - Commissioner of Agriculture . 2023-01-06 . web.sos.ky.gov.
  23. Web site: Storm . Nick . Democrat Sierra Enlow Files to Run for Ag Commissioner . www.kentuckyfried.com . 4 January 2023 . 3 January 2023.
  24. Web site: Brammer . Jack . Key advisor Rocky Adkins weighs bid for state ag commissioner; a help for Beshear's re-election? . Northern Kentucky Tribune . 10 September 2022 . 10 June 2022.