Kentucky State Senate elections
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This page displays election information for the Kentucky State Senate.
Elections
Kentucky state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Kentucky holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2026
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2026
Elections for the Kentucky State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The primary is May 19, 2026. The filing deadline is January 9, 2026.
2024
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2024
Elections for the Kentucky State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was May 21, 2024. The filing deadline was January 5, 2024.
In the 2024 elections, Republicans maintained their majority at 30-7 with one Independent.
| Kentucky State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 7 | 7 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | 31 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 38 | 38 | |
2022
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2022
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 Republicans increased their majority in the Kentucky State Senate in the 2022 elections to 31-7.
| 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 | |
2020
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2020
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 23, 2020. The filing deadline was January 10, 2020.
In the November 2020 election, Republicans expanded their majority in the Kentucky State Senate from 28-10 to 30-8.
| Kentucky State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 10 | 8 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | 30 | |
| Total | 38 | 38 | |
2018
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2018
Elections for the Kentucky State Senate took place in 2018. The closed primary election took place on May 22, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was January 30, 2018.[1]
In the 2018 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the Kentucky State Senate from 27-11 to 28-10.
| Kentucky State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
| Democratic Party | 11 | 10 | |
| Republican Party | 27 | 28 | |
| Total | 38 | 38 | |
2016
- See also: Kentucky State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Kentucky State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 17, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was January 26, 2016. A total of 19 seats out of the 38 seats in the Kentucky State Senate were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 27-11 majority. No changes occurred to political control in the Kentucky State Senate after the November 2016 election.
| Kentucky State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 11 | 11 | |
| Republican Party | 27 | 27 | |
| Total | 38 | 38 | |
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2014
Elections for the Kentucky State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 28, 2014. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 23-14 majority with one independent member. Republicans gained three seats in the election, giving them a 26-12 majority.
2012
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on May 22, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was January 31, 2012. A total of 19 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 21-14 majority with two vacancies and one independent member. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 22-14 majority with one vacancy and one independent member.
2010
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on May 18, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was January 26, 2010. There are 38 seats in the Kentucky State Senate, and 19 of them were up for re-election in 2010. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 20-17 majority with one vacancy. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 22-15 majority with one vacancy.
2008
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 20, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $6,125,118. The top 10 contributors were:[3]
2006
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 16, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $3,171,644. The top 10 contributors were:[4]
2004
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 18, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $5,143,180. The top 10 contributors were:[5]
2002
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 28, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $5,547,216. The top 10 contributors were:[6]
2000
Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 2, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $5,415,603. The top 10 contributors were:[7]
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Historical party control
Republicans won control of the Kentucky State Senate in 2000. In 2024, they won a 31-7 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Kentucky Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Kentucky State Senate election results: 1992-2024
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 | '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 25 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Republicans | 13 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 30 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Trifecta history
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. Between 1992 and 2023, Kentucky was under the following types of trifecta control:
- Democratic trifecta: 1992-1999
- Republican trifecta: 2017-2019
- Divided government: 2000-2016, 2020-2023
Kentucky Party Control: 1992-2025
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 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 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 | R |
Footnotes
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "2018 Kentucky Election Calendar," accessed June 1, 2017
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2010 - Candidates," accessed June 13, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2008 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2006 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2004 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2002 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kentucky 2000 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
