Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture election, 2015
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May 19, 2015 |
November 3, 2015 |
James Comer Jr.  |
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The Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture election took place on November 3, 2015, following the primary on May 19, 2015. Ryan Quarles defeated Jean-Marie Lawson Spann to win the election.
Incumbent James Comer Jr. (R) was first elected in 2011 and did not seek re-election, opting instead to seek the open governor's office in 2015.[1]
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kentucky utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[2][3][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Election results
General
Incumbent Commissioner James Comer Jr. (R) chose to run for governor instead of seeking re-election. Fellow Republican Ryan Quarles defeated his Democratic opponent, Jean-Marie Lawson Spann, in the 2015 general election.[5]
| Commissioner of Agriculture, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Ryan Quarles |
60.1% | 563,383 | |
| Democrat | Jean-Marie Lawson Spann | 39.9% | 374,402 | |
| Total Votes | 937,785 | |||
| Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
Primary
Democratic
There was no Democratic primary in 2015 as only one candidate filed for the office.
Republican
Ryan Quarles defeated Richard Heath for the Republican nomination.
| Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Republican Primary, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Ryan Quarles |
50.4% | 92,700 | ||
| Richard Heath | 49.6% | 91,273 | ||
| Total Votes | 183,973 | |||
| Election results via Kentucky State Board of Elections. | ||||
Candidates
Incumbent
Note: Comer was ran for governor in 2015 rather than seeking re-election to the agriculture commissioner's office.
General election
Jean-Marie Lawson Spann[6]
Ryan Quarles[7][8]
Lost in primary
Key deadlines
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| January 27, 2015 | Filing deadline for primary candidates |
| April 20, 2015 | Voter registration deadline for primary |
| May 19, 2015 | Primary election |
| August 11, 2015 | Filing deadline for petition candidates not involved in partisan primaries |
| October 5, 2015 | Voter registration deadline for general election |
| November 3, 2015 | General election |
| November 23, 2015 | Last day for state certification of election results[10] |
Voter registration
Voters in Kentucky can register to vote by printing off a voter registration card and mailing the completed card to the Kentucky State Board of Elections. A voter registration card can also be obtained from a county clerk.[11]
Applicants must identify their party registration on the card. Voters who identify as unaffiliated or as a third-party registrant can only vote in nonpartisan races during partisan primaries. Unaffiliated and third-party voters can vote for any candidate during general or special elections. Registered voters may switch party affiliation by December 31 without jeopardizing their registration for elections in the following year.[11]
The following criteria must be met to qualify as a registered voter in Kentucky:[11]
- U.S. citizenship
- Resident of Kentucky
- At least 18 years of age by the next general election
- Do not have a felony conviction or have been granted restored rights by executive pardon
- Have not been judged "mentally incompetent" in court
- Do not claim the right to vote in other states
Duties
The duties of the Commissioner of Agriculture are outlined in 246.070 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes:
| “ |
The Commissioner shall promote and encourage, as far as practicable, the organization of agricultural organizations and associations. He shall ascertain in detail the quality and quantity of land under cultivation; the kinds, amounts and value of the annual field crops; the annual production of orchards, gardens, and dairies; the kinds, value, and increase of livestock; the character and wages of labor employed in the cultivation of the soil; and the value of agricultural exports and imports. [12] |
” |
| —Kentucky Revised Statutes, (2011) | ||
Polls
General election
| Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Jean-Marie Lawson Spann (D) | Ryan Quarles (R) | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||||||
| SurveyUSA/Bluegrass Poll July 22-28, 2015 | 32% | 33% | 35% | +/-3.8 | 685 | ||||||||||||||
| Public Policy Polling June 18-21, 2015 | 31% | 40% | 29% | +/-2.9 | 1,108 | ||||||||||||||
| AVERAGES | 31.5% | 36.5% | 32% | +/-3.35 | 896.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Republican primary
| Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Republican Primary, Quarles vs. Heath | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Ryan Quarles (R) | Richard Heath (R) | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||||||
| Triumph Campaigns March 24, 2015 | 21% | 10% | 66.5% | +/-4 | 601 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Hypothetical match-ups
| Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner, Quarles vs. Spann | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Jean-Marie Lawson Spann (D) | Ryan Quarles (R) | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||||||
| Gravis Marketing January 5-6, 2015 | 31% | 39% | 30% | +/-4 | 608 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Debates
Debate media
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February 13 Republican forum
Republican candidates Richard Heath and Ryan Quarles met for a forum on the state of agriculture in Kentucky hosted by the Agribusiness Industry Network and the Kentucky Ag Council. Both candidates were asked questions about Louisville's role in the agricultural economy and the role of agriculture in the state's economy. Heath highlighted the importance of the National Farm Machinery Show and the close relationship between the commissioner's office and the Mayor of Louisville when discussing the city's role in agriculture. Quarles argued that the Kentucky State Fair serves as an introduction to agriculture for students who might not otherwise understand where their food comes from. He also contended that in the absence of agricultural education, children were more likely to learn about farm practices from organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society, rather than gaining an understanding of the realities of food production.[14]
Heath noted that the state's agriculture sector generated $6 billion in revenue per year, creating a large number of jobs. He pointed to the growing demand for workers familiar with agricultural technology as an unexplored avenue for the state. Heath cited the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, which mixes on-the-job training and technical school courses in manufacturing fields, as a template for agricultural training. Quarles pointed to existing growth in local farmers markets and untapped resources like industrial hemp and hop production as strengths of the agriculture sector. He also suggested that the state's Bourbon Trail could be connected to a similar marketing campaign for farms.[14]
January 16 forum
Jean-Marie Lawson Spann (D) and Ryan Quarles (R) compared endorsements and found consensus on the state's response to federal regulations during a forum sponsored by the Kentucky Soybean Association, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, and Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association.[15] Spann touted the endorsement of former commissioner Billy Ray Smith (D) and argued that he was among the best commissioners in state history. Quarles brought up commissioner James Comer Jr.'s (R) endorsement and noted that Comer had established a "gold standard" for future officeholders.[16]
Spann and Quarles both criticized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for proposed water regulations that could impact agriculture in the Bluegrass State. Spann indicated that she would pursue a lawsuit against the EPA to block new federal standards if necessary, preferring a state approach to water testing. Quarles noted that the state's agriculture development board was already testing water quality to determine the impacts of farm runoff.[16]
Campaign finance
First quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $173,801.93 and spent a total of $39,172.92 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on May 5, 2015.[17]
| Campaign Contributions and Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance |
| Jean-Marie Lawson Spann |
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | $76,943.30 | $29,515.00 | $13,445.40 | $93,012.90 |
| Ryan Quarles |
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | $21,579.88 | $82,910.17 | $14,054.65 | $90,435.40 |
| Richard Heath |
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | $0 | $61,376.76 | $11,672.87 | $49,703.89 |
| Grand Total Raised | $173,801.93 | ||||
| Grand Total Spent | $39,172.92 | ||||
Fourth quarter report (2014)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $48,674.31 and spent a total of $15,080.21 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on February 3, 2015.[18]
| Campaign Contributions and Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance |
| Jean-Marie Lawson Spann |
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | $64,929.08 | $25,700 | $13,685.78 | $76,943.30 |
| Ryan Quarles |
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | $0 | $22,974.31 | $1,394.43 | $21,579.88 |
| Richard Heath |
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Grand Total Raised | $48,674.31 | ||||
| Grand Total Spent | $15,080.21 | ||||
Past 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 | ||||
2007
| Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, 2007 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Richie Farmer Incumbent |
64% | 644,036 | |
| Democratic | David Lynn Williams | 36% | 362,339 | |
| Total Votes | 1,006,375 | |||
| Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
2003
| Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, 2003 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Richie Farmer |
55.2% | 578,008 | |
| Republican | Alice Woods Baesler | 44.8% | 468,696 | |
| Total Votes | 1,046,704 | |||
| Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Kentucky + Agriculture + Commissioner + election + 2015"
See also
- Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture
- State executive official elections, 2015
- Kentucky state executive official elections, 2015
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Courier-Journal, "Comer officially announces gubernatorial bid," September 9, 2014
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," February 06, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections,"Key Information," accessed July 26, 2024
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Agriculture Commissioner," accessed November 4, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Jean-Marie Lawson Spann, Candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture," November 12, 2014
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "First candidates forum for ag commissioner," January 7, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Ryan F. Quarles, Candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture," January 14, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Richard Heath, Candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture," January 26, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "2015 Kentucky Election Calendar," accessed December 4, 2014
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Kentucky Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed December 4, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes, "246.070 Functions of Commissioner, accessed November 5, 2011
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Agribusiness Industry Network Inc., "Kentucky Ag Commissioner Candidate Forum," February 2015
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "First candidates forum for ag commissioner," January 7, 2015
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 CN2, "Down-ticket race, already looking past May primary, jumpstarts 2015 debate season," January 17, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Search Results," accessed May 5, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Search Results," accessed February 3, 2015
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