Kentucky State Senate elections, 2022
| 2022 Kentucky Senate Elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Primary | May 17, 2022 |
| General | November 8, 2022 |
| Past Election Results |
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| 2022 Elections | |
|---|---|
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Elections for the Kentucky State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for May 17, 2022. The filing deadline was January 25, 2022.
The Kentucky State Senate was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.
Party control
| Kentucky State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 8 | 7 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | 31 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 38 | 38 | |
Candidates
General
Kentucky State Senate General Election 2022 |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 2 |
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| District 4 |
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| District 6 |
Brian Easley (Write-in) |
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| District 8 |
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| District 10 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 14 |
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| District 16 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 18 |
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| District 20 |
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| District 22 |
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| District 24 |
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| District 26 |
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| District 28 |
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Joshua Buckman (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| District 30 |
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| District 32 |
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| District 34 |
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| District 36 |
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| District 38 |
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= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection
Primary
Kentucky State Senate Primary 2022 |
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| Office | Democratic |
Republican |
Other |
| District 2 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 4 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 6 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 8 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 10 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 12 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. Did not make the ballot: |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 14 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 16 |
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| District 18 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 20 |
Phyllis Sparks Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 22 |
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| District 24 |
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| District 26 |
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| District 28 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 30 |
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| District 32 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 34 |
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| District 36 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 38 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Did not make the ballot: |
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Click a link below to read survey responses from candidates in that district:
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in general elections
No incumbents lost in general elections.
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
No incumbents lost in primaries. In 2020, one incumbent—Albert Robinson (R)—lost in a primary, the first since 2014.
Retiring incumbents
Six incumbents were not on the ballot in 2022.[1] Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| C.B. Embry Jr. |  Republican |
House District 6 | Retired |
| Matt Castlen | Republican |
House District 8 | Retired |
| Dennis Parrett |  Democratic |
House District 10 | Retired |
| Alice Forgy Kerr | Republican |
House District 12 | Retired |
| Paul Hornback | Republican |
House District 20 | Retired |
| Wil Schroder | Republican |
House District 24 | Retired |
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Kentucky. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
| Kentucky state legislative competitiveness, 2014-2022 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office | Districts/ offices |
Seats | Open seats | Candidates | Possible primaries | Contested Democratic primaries | Contested Republican primaries | % of contested primaries | Incumbents in contested primaries | % of incumbents in contested primaries | ||||
| 2022 | 119 | 119 | 21 | 248 | 238 | 15 | 42 | 23.9% | 31 | 30.4% | ||||
| 2020 | 119 | 119 | 17 | 240 | 238 | 13 | 23 | 15.1% | 13 | 12.7% | ||||
| 2018 | 119 | 119 | 22 | 291 | 238 | 25 | 26 | 21.4% | 18 | 18.6% | ||||
| 2016 | 119 | 119 | 10 | 255 | 238 | 18 | 34 | 21.8% | 18 | 16.5% | ||||
| 2014 | 119 | 119 | 11 | 215 | 238 | 11 | 18 | 12.2% | 14 | 13.0% | ||||
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Kentucky in 2022. Information below was calculated on Feb. 17, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
In 2022, 256 candidates filed for to run in Kentucky's 119 state legislative districts: 88 Democrats and 168 Republicans. This equals 2.2 candidates per district, up from 2.0 in 2020 but lower than the 2.4 in 2018.
Of the 119 districts holding elections, either a Democrat or Republican was likely to win 61 (51.3%) because no candidates from the opposing party filed. Democrats were likely to win 12 districts—one in the Senate and 11 in the House—because no Republicans filed to run for them. Republicans were likely to win 49 districts—nine in the Senate and 40 in the House. This represented the least amount of major party competition in the state since 2012 when 63 districts saw no major party competition (52.9%).
Twenty-one of the 119 districts holding elections (17.6%) were open following the filing deadline, meaning no incumbent filed to run. This was a larger percentage than in 2020 (14.2%) but lower than 2018 (18.5%). Four of these districts were open because the incumbents representing those districts were drawn into new districts as a result of redistricting.
Following the filing deadline, there were 59 contested primaries scheduled out of a possible 238 (24.8%), the largest number of contested primaries in the state since at least 2014.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Kentucky State Senate from 2010 to 2022.[2]
| Open Seats in Kentucky State Senate elections: 2010 - 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2022 | 19 | 6 (32 percent) | 13 (68 percent) |
| 2020 | 19 | 3 (16 percent) | 16 (84 percent) |
| 2018 | 19 | 1 (5 percent) | 18 (95 percent) |
| 2016 | 19 | 2 (11 percent) | 17 (89 percent) |
| 2014 | 19 | 4 (21 percent) | 15 (79 percent) |
| 2012 | 19 | 3 (16 percent) | 16 (84 percent) |
| 2010 | 19 | 2 (11 percent) | 17 (89 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Section 118.105 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes (2022)
There are three methods by which a candidate can gain ballot access in Kentucky: by political party primary, by political organization convention, and by petition. A candidate must be registered with a political party if he or she wishes to run in the political party primary. If a candidate seeks nomination by a political organization, either by petition or convention, he or she must be registered with that organization. An independent candidate must be registered as an independent in order to use that designation on his or her nominating petition.[3][4]
Political party primary candidates
A political party candidate is granted general election ballot access by winning his or her party's primary election. The candidate must file a notification and declaration form with the Kentucky Secretary of State. This form must be signed by the candidate and by no less than two registered voters from the same party as the candidate and from the same district in which the candidate is running. This form cannot be signed earlier than the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November of the year preceding the election in which the candidate is running. The notification and declaration form must be filed by 4 p.m. on the first Friday following the first Monday in January preceding the primary election. A candidate defeated at the primary election is not permitted to run in the general election, with the exception of candidates running in a presidential preference primary.[5][6][7][8]
Political organization convention candidates
A political organization candidate is nominated at his or her political organization's convention. Only registered voters of the political organization can attend and vote at the convention. The Kentucky Statutes do not stipulate the time at which a convention must be held; however, it must be held prior to the filing deadline in order to complete all necessary paperwork. The candidate must file nomination papers by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June preceding the day fixed by law for the election of the office being sought.[9][10][11][12]
Petition candidates
Political organization, political group, and independent candidates may all run for office as petition candidates. A candidate running for state executive office or state legislative office must first file a statement of candidacy form with the Kentucky Secretary of State. This form must be filed by 4 p.m. on April 1 (or the next business day if April 1 falls on a weekend or holiday). No charge is assessed for the filing of this form. A petition signed by the candidate and by registered voters in the district from which the candidate seeks nomination must be filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Candidates may begin gathering signatures after the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November of the year preceding the general election in which the candidate is running.[4][9][11]
Petitions must be filed by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June preceding the day fixed by law for the holding of regular elections for the offices sought. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought. Examples are provided in the table below.[3][4][12]
| Signature requirements for petition candidates in Kentucky[4] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Number of signatures required | |
| Kentucky state executive office | 5,000 | |
| Member of the United States Congress | 400 | |
| Member of the Kentucky General Assembly | 100 | |
Write-in candidates
Though write-in candidates' names are not printed on the ballot, they may be written in by a voter. In order for a write-in vote to be counted, the write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent with the Kentucky Secretary of State by the fourth Friday in October preceding the general election. A candidate can be a write-in for only one office and will be considered ineligible for write-in status if he or she has already been placed on the ballot by a different method.[13]
All candidates
Any registered voter may challenge the "good faith of a candidate” at any time before the election. No specific challenge period is designated in the Kentucky Statutes.[14]
A candidate may only run for one office at a time, as his or her name cannot appear on the ballot more than once.[15]
All candidates are subject to filing fees. These fees are outlined in the table below. The Kentucky Secretary of State accepts personal checks, campaign account checks, cash, or money orders for payment of filing fees.[3][16][17]
| Filing fees for candidates in Kentucky[18] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Filing fee | |
| Member of the United States Congress | $500.00 | |
| Governor of Kentucky | $500.00 | |
| Kentucky Attorney General | $500.00 | |
| Kentucky Secretary of State | $500.00 | |
| Kentucky Auditor | $500.00 | |
| Kentucky Treasurer | $500.00 | |
| Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | $500.00 | |
| Kentucky Senator | $200.00 | |
| Kentucky Representative | $200.00 | |
| Write-in candidate | $50.00 | |
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the Kentucky State Senate, a candidate must be:[19]
- At least 30 years of age at the time of the election
- A citizen of Kentucky
- Resided in the state 6 years preceding the election
- Resided in the district for the last year
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[20] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $188.22/calendar day during session for legislators whose terms began before 2023. $203.28/calendar day for legislators whose terms began after 2023. | $182.60/day |
When sworn in
Kentucky legislators assume office the first day of January after their election.[21]
Kentucky political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Kentucky Party Control: 1992-2024
Eight years of Democratic trifectas • Three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in Kentucky
2020 Presidential election results
Presidential election in Kentucky, 2020
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
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| ✔ |
 
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
62.1
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1,326,646 | 8 |
 
| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
36.2
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772,474 | 0 | |
 
| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L) |
1.2
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26,234 | 0 | |
 
| Ye/Michelle Tidball (Independent) |
0.3
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6,483 | 0 | |
 
| Brock Pierce/Karla Ballard (Independent) |
0.2
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3,599 | 0 | |
 
| Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
716 | 0 | |
 
| Brian T. Carroll/Amar Patel (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
408 | 0 | |
 
| Gloria La Riva/Sunil Freeman (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
98 | 0 | |
 
| Mark Charles/Adrian Wallace (Unaffiliated) |
0.0
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43 | 0 | |
 
| Jade Simmons/Claudeliah Roze (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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29 | 0 | |
 
| Tom Hoefling/Andy Prior (Unaffiliated) |
0.0
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20 | 0 | |
| Shawn W. Howard/Alyssa Howard (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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9 | 0 | |
| President Boddie/Eric Stoneham (Unaffiliated) |
0.0
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7 | 0 | |
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| Timothy Stevens/Susan Congleton Fletcher (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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1 | 0 | |
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| Kasey Wells/Rachel Wells (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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1 | 0 | |
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Total votes: 2,136,768 |
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Kentucky
Redistricting following the 2020 census
Kentucky adopted new state House district boundaries on January 20, 2022, after the general assembly overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) veto of the plan. The vote to override the governor’s veto was 24-10 in the state Senate with all votes in favor by Republicans and eight Democrats and two Republicans voting against. The override vote was 69-23 in the state House, with all votes in favor by Republicans and 22 Democrats and one Republican voting to sustain Beshear’s veto.[22] Gov. Beshear allowed the redistricting proposal for new state Senate districts to become law without his signature on January 21, 2022. That legislation had passed the state Senate on January 6, 2022, 28-4, and the state House on January 8, 2022, 67-23.[23]
Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.
Kentucky State Senate Districts
until December 31, 2022
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Kentucky State Senate Districts
starting January 1, 2023
Click a district to compare boundaries.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kentucky Secretary of State Website, "FAQs," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.315 (2022)," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.105 (2022)," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.125 (2022)," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.165 (2022)," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.345 (2022)," accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.325 (2022)," accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Register to Vote," accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.367 (2022)," accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.365 (2022)," accessed May 23, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.125 (2022)," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Chapter 118, Section 176 (2022)," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Chapter 118, Section 405 (2022)," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State Website, "Becoming a Candidate," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "Section 118.255 (2022),"accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State Website, "Candidate Qualifications and Filing Fees," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Candidate Qualification Information," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Kentucky Constitution, "Section 30," accessed February 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "House Bill 2," accessed January 21, 2022
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "Senate Bill 2," accessed January 21, 2022
