Kentucky state executive official elections, 2011

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2011 State Executive Elections

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Seven state executive positions were up for election in 2011. These seats included the governor and lieutenant governor, as well as attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor and commissioner of agriculture. The primary election was held on May 17, 2011, followed by the general election on November 8, 2011.

Key deadlines

The following table details important deadlines and dates during the 2011 election:

Deadline	Event
January 25, 2011	Declaration of candidacy for primary
April 18, 2011	Voter registration for primary
May 10, 2011	Deadline to request absentee ballots by mail
May 16, 2011	Deadline to request absentee ballots in person
May 17, 2011	Emergency absentee ballot request for primary
May 17, 2011	Primary election
May 27, 2011	Last day to request a recount and to challenge primary results
June 6, 2011	Certification of primary results
August 9, 2011	Declaration of candidacy for general election
October 11, 2011	Voter registration for general election
October 28, 2011	Write-in candidate announcement for general election
November 1, 2011	Deadline to request absentee ballot for general election by mail
November 7, 2011	Deadline to request absentee ballot for general election in person
November 8, 2011	Emergency absentee ballot request for general election
November 8, 2011	General election
November 15, 2011	Last day to challenge general election results
November 18, 2011	Last day to request a general election recount
November 28, 2011	Certification of general election results

General: November 8

Gubernatorial

See also: Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2011

Governor and Lt. Governor of Kentucky, 2011
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Steve Beshear and Jerry E. Abramson	55.7%	464,245
	Republican	David Williams and Richie Farmer	35.3%	294,034
	Independent	Gatewood Galbraith and Dea Riley	9%	74,860
Total Votes				833,139
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

Attorney General

See also: Kentucky attorney general election, 2011

Attorney General of Kentucky, 2011
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Jack Conway Incumbent	55%	449,638
	Republican	Todd P'Pool	45%	367,661
Total Votes				817,299
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

Secretary of State

See also: Kentucky secretary of state election, 2011

Kentucky Secretary of State, 2011
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Alison Lundergan Grimes	60.6%	494,368
	Republican	Bill Johnson	39.4%	321,065
Total Votes				815,433
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

State Treasurer

See also: Kentucky down ballot state executive elections, 2011

Kentucky Treasurer, 2011
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Todd Hollenbach Incumbent	48.8%	393,413
	Republican	K.C. Crosbie	46.6%	375,916
	Libertarian	Ken Moellman	4.6%	37,261
Total Votes				806,590
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

State Auditor

See also: Kentucky down ballot state executive elections, 2011

Kentucky Auditor, 2011
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Adam Edelen	55.8%	440,345
	Republican	John T. Kemper III	44.2%	349,366
	Independent	Kim C. Hay	0%	75
Total Votes				789,786
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

Commissioner of Agriculture

See also: Kentucky down ballot state executive elections, 2011

Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, 2011
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	James Comer Jr.	63.8%	519,183
	Democratic	Robert Farmer	36.2%	294,663
Total Votes				813,846
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

Primary: May 17

Gubernatorial

See also: Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2011

Incumbent Governor Steve Beshear claimed the Democratic nomination unopposed, while three Republican challengers jockeyed for their party's nomination. Ultimately, attorney David Williams won the Republican contest.

Democratic candidates

• Steven L. Beshear, the current Governor. Beshear's running mate, Jerry E. Abramson, previously served as Mayor of Louisville.

Governor -- Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Democratic Party	a Steve Beshear	N/A
Total Votes			N/A

Republican candidates

• Jefferson County Clerk Barbara "Bobbie" Holsclaw, running with Bill Vermillion, Jr.
• Businessman Phil Moffett, running with State Representative Mike Harmon.
• State Senate President David Williams, running with Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer.

Governor -- Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Republican Party	a David Williams	48.22%
	Republican Party	Barbara Holsclaw	13.80%
	Republican Party	Phil Moffett	37.98%
Total Votes			142,056

Independent candidates

• Attorney and frequent candidate Gatewood Galbraith, running with Dea Riley, a marketing professional.

Attorney General

See also: Kentucky attorney general election, 2011

Although the office of Kentucky Attorney General was up for election, the position did not appear on the state primary ballot. Democratic incumbent Jack Conway and Republican Hopkins County attorney Todd P'Pool both ran unopposed in their respective primaries. Conway announced his candidacy nearly two weeks after losing the United States Senate contest to Republican Rand Paul in the 2010 midterm elections.

Democratic candidates

• Incumbent Jack Conway

Secretary of State -- Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Democratic Party	a Jack Conway	N/A
Total Votes			N/A

Republican candidates

• Hopkins County Attorney Todd P'Pool

Secretary of State -- Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Republican Party	aTodd P'Pool	N/A
Total Votes			N/A

Secretary of State

See also: Kentucky secretary of state election, 2011

Lexington attorney Alison Lundergan Grimes overcame incumbent Elaine Walker to claim the Democratic Party nomination, while businessman Bill Johnson narrowly beat former U.S. Department of Agriculture official Hilda Legg.

Democratic candidates

• Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Lexington attorney
• Incumbent Elaine Walker

Secretary of State -- Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Democratic Party	a Alison Lundergan Grimes	55.25%
	Democratic Party	Elaine Walker	44.75%
Total Votes			154,610

Republican candidates

• Bill Johnson, Western Kentucky businessman and a 10-year veteran of the United States Navy
• Hilda Legg, a former administrator of the USDA Rural Utilities Service in Washington, DC

Secretary of State -- Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Republican Party	aBill Johnson	50.42%
	Republican Party	Hilda Legg	49.58%
Total Votes			131,714

NOTE: Hilda Legg requested a new canvass of the vote in the Republican primary, which was conducted on May 26. It did not change the result.

Treasurer

See also: Kentucky down ballot state executive elections, 2011

Incumbent Treasurer Todd Hollenbach fended off a challenge from education consultant Steve Hamrick in the Democratic party, while Lexington Councilwoman K.C. Crosbie claimed the Republican nomination unopposed.

Democratic candidates

• Incumbent Todd Hollenbach.
• Hopkinsville education consultant Steve Hamrick.

Treasurer -- Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Democratic Party	a Todd Hollenbach	70.95%
	Democratic Party	Steve Hamrick	29.05%
Total Votes			149,628

Republican candidates

• Lexington City Councilwoman K.C. Crosbie

Treasurer -- Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Republican Party	a K.C. Crosbie	N/A
Total Votes			N/A

Auditor

See also: Kentucky down ballot state executive elections, 2011

Incumbent Crit Luallen declined to run in 2011. Adam Edelen stood unopposed for the Democratic nomination and Lexington developer John T. Kemper III defeated Addia Wuchner to claim the Republican nod.

Democratic candidates

• Lexington management consultant Adam Edelen.

Auditor -- Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Democratic Party	a Adam Edelen	N/A
Total Votes			N/A

Republican candidates

• Lexington developer John T. Kemper III
• Addia Wuchner

Auditor -- Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Republican Party	a John T. Kemper III	57.27%
	Republican Party	Addia Wuchner	42.73%
Total Votes			123,696

Commissioner of Agriculture

See also: Kentucky down ballot state executive elections, 2011

Incumbent Commissioner Richie Farmer (R) was ineligible for re-election. He ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky on a ticket with state Senate President David Williams.

A total of five Democrats and two Republican candidates ran in the June primary. Marketing professional Bob Farmer prevailed over a crowded Democratic field, while Tompkinsville farmer James R. Comer won the Republican nomination.

Democratic candidates

• Lexington marketing professional Robert "Bob" Farmer
• Lawrenceburg farmer Stewart Gritton
• Richmond lawyer John Faris Lackey
• David Williams
• Retired Montgomery County Judge-Executive B.D. Wilson.

Commissioner of Agriculture Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Democratic Party	a Robert "Bob" Farmer	30.40%
	Democratic Party	John Faris Lackey	21.02%
	Democratic Party	B. D. Wilson	19.46%
	Democratic Party	Stewart Gritton	16.57%
	Democratic Party	David Williams	12.57%
Total Votes			150,223

Republican candidates

• Farmer James R. Comer
• Shelby County Judge-Executive Rob Rothenburger

Commissioner of Agriculture Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Vote Percentage
	Republican Party	a James R. Comer	66.67%
	Republican Party	Rob Rothenburger	33.33%
Total Votes			129,421

See also

• Statewide elections, 2011
• State executive official elections, 2011
• Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2011
• Kentucky secretary of state election, 2011
• Kentucky attorney general election, 2011

News and analysis

• Democrats lead the pack in fundraising for 2011 Kentucky elections
• And the (gubernatorial) nominees are...
• Kentucky state executive races take shape in wake of primaries
• Kentucky voters head to the polls for state executive primaries
• Two weeks to go before the Kentucky primary
• Final days to register for KY gubernatorial primary see divorce, endorsements, and tax records
• Kentucky GOP gubernatorial primary heats up with first ad

External links

• Kentucky State Board of Elections
• 2011 Election Calendar
• Kentucky Candidate Qualifications, Filing Officer and Filing Fees

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