Kentucky local trial court judicial elections, 2020
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- Main articles: State judicial elections, 2020 and Local trial court judicial elections, 2020
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of elections in America's 100 largest cities by population. This coverage extends to every office on the ballot for residents of these cities, including local trial court judges. In 2020, Ballotpedia covered the following local elections in this state:
- Lexington, Kentucky - Urban council districts, soil and water supervisors
- Louisville, Kentucky - Metro councilors, county commissioners, soil and water conservation supervisors, county surveyor (unexpired term), and family court judge of the 30th circuit court, seat 3 (unexpired term)
If the above list includes local trial court judgeships, click the links for more information about the elections. Click here to learn more about how the judges in this state are selected. Ballotpedia did not cover all local trial court judicial elections in this state in 2020. Please consider donating to Ballotpedia to help us expand our coverage of these elections.
Election rules
Primary election
All candidates participate in nonpartisan primaries. If more than two candidates compete in a race, the two with the highest number of votes advance to the general election.
Judicial selection method
Circuit courts
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
Judges of the Kentucky Circuit Courts are elected to eight-year terms in nonpartisan elections. They must run for re-election if they wish to serve subsequent terms.[1]
The chief judge is selected by his or her peers and serves a two-year term.[1]
Qualifications
In order to serve on this court, a judge must be:[1]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of the represented district for at least two years; and
- licensed to practice law for at least eight years.
Family courts
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
Judges of the Kentucky Family Courts are elected to eight-year terms in nonpartisan elections. They must run for re-election if they wish to serve subsequent terms.[1][2]
The chief judge is selected by his or her peers and serves a two-year term.[1]
Qualifications
In order to serve on this court, a judge must be:[1]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of the represented district for at least two years; and
- licensed to practice law for at least eight years.
District courts
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The judges of the Kentucky District Courts are elected in nonpartisan elections. They serve four-year terms and must run for re-election if they wish to serve again.[3][4]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[3]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of the represented district for at least two years; and
- licensed to practice law for at least two years.
Additional elections
- See also: Kentucky elections, 2020
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
One of 120 Kentucky counties—0.83 percent—is a pivot county. Pivot counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 pivot counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Elliott County, Kentucky | 44.13% | 2.50% | 25.17% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Kentucky with 62.5 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 32.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, Kentucky voted Democratic 45.6 percent of the time and Republican 26.3 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Kentucky voted Republican all five times.[5]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Kentucky. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[6][7]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 18 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 24.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 18 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 25 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 82 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 82 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 42 points. Trump won 20 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 28.28% | 70.29% | R+42 | 21.07% | 75.71% | R+54.6 | R |
| 2 | 28.39% | 70.02% | R+41.6 | 19.66% | 76.54% | R+56.9 | R |
| 3 | 40.47% | 57.82% | R+17.3 | 36.33% | 58.93% | R+22.6 | D |
| 4 | 28.50% | 70.01% | R+41.5 | 19.59% | 76.79% | R+57.2 | R |
| 5 | 34.38% | 63.66% | R+29.3 | 28.15% | 66.52% | R+38.4 | R |
| 6 | 32.05% | 66.22% | R+34.2 | 22.63% | 73.37% | R+50.7 | D |
| 7 | 34.35% | 64.05% | R+29.7 | 25.60% | 69.99% | R+44.4 | R |
| 8 | 45.14% | 53.78% | R+8.6 | 40.22% | 56.32% | R+16.1 | R |
| 9 | 29.19% | 69.46% | R+40.3 | 22.92% | 73.34% | R+50.4 | R |
| 10 | 40.43% | 57.99% | R+17.6 | 29.06% | 66.06% | R+37 | D |
| 11 | 43.65% | 55.17% | R+11.5 | 34.91% | 60.53% | R+25.6 | R |
| 12 | 31.04% | 67.42% | R+36.4 | 20.94% | 75.28% | R+54.3 | R |
| 13 | 46.17% | 51.87% | R+5.7 | 39.24% | 54.05% | R+14.8 | R |
| 14 | 31.99% | 66.02% | R+34 | 22.42% | 73.01% | R+50.6 | R |
| 15 | 35.13% | 63.22% | R+28.1 | 23.89% | 72.90% | R+49 | R |
| 16 | 31.83% | 66.81% | R+35 | 24.20% | 72.59% | R+48.4 | R |
| 17 | 29.65% | 69.19% | R+39.5 | 26.55% | 68.13% | R+41.6 | R |
| 18 | 30.68% | 67.92% | R+37.2 | 21.96% | 74.00% | R+52 | R |
| 19 | 36.66% | 61.97% | R+25.3 | 28.23% | 67.66% | R+39.4 | R |
| 20 | 47.55% | 50.21% | R+2.7 | 47.28% | 45.81% | D+1.5 | D |
| 21 | 29.72% | 68.87% | R+39.2 | 19.57% | 77.59% | R+58 | R |
| 22 | 30.68% | 68.01% | R+37.3 | 22.20% | 73.97% | R+51.8 | D |
| 23 | 32.54% | 65.99% | R+33.5 | 23.11% | 72.94% | R+49.8 | R |
| 24 | 35.21% | 63.25% | R+28 | 24.18% | 72.15% | R+48 | R |
| 25 | 36.11% | 62.25% | R+26.1 | 29.69% | 64.91% | R+35.2 | R |
| 26 | 32.43% | 66.01% | R+33.6 | 25.01% | 70.56% | R+45.6 | R |
| 27 | 42.17% | 56.05% | R+13.9 | 30.64% | 64.67% | R+34 | D |
| 28 | 44.94% | 53.71% | R+8.8 | 37.86% | 57.69% | R+19.8 | D |
| 29 | 39.17% | 59.62% | R+20.5 | 38.23% | 56.76% | R+18.5 | R |
| 30 | 71.73% | 26.98% | D+44.8 | 69.58% | 25.88% | D+43.7 | D |
| 31 | 50.04% | 48.33% | D+1.7 | 50.75% | 43.48% | D+7.3 | D |
| 32 | 43.38% | 55.29% | R+11.9 | 47.38% | 46.66% | D+0.7 | R |
| 33 | 41.13% | 57.48% | R+16.3 | 43.59% | 50.25% | R+6.7 | R |
| 34 | 59.79% | 37.94% | D+21.9 | 65.14% | 28.16% | D+37 | D |
| 35 | 56.21% | 41.52% | D+14.7 | 53.85% | 39.87% | D+14 | D |
| 36 | 32.23% | 66.72% | R+34.5 | 35.92% | 58.96% | R+23 | R |
| 37 | 49.68% | 48.67% | D+1 | 44.50% | 49.97% | R+5.5 | D |
| 38 | 54.21% | 44.14% | D+10.1 | 48.62% | 46.39% | D+2.2 | D |
| 39 | 33.35% | 64.62% | R+31.3 | 30.32% | 63.52% | R+33.2 | D |
| 40 | 67.80% | 30.82% | D+37 | 64.07% | 31.32% | D+32.8 | D |
| 41 | 76.55% | 21.94% | D+54.6 | 75.28% | 19.22% | D+56.1 | D |
| 42 | 85.66% | 12.50% | D+73.2 | 84.31% | 10.77% | D+73.5 | D |
| 43 | 76.26% | 23.02% | D+53.2 | 74.36% | 21.81% | D+52.6 | D |
| 44 | 60.58% | 38.30% | D+22.3 | 55.32% | 41.13% | D+14.2 | D |
| 45 | 37.40% | 60.69% | R+23.3 | 41.04% | 51.95% | R+10.9 | R |
| 46 | 54.38% | 44.35% | D+10 | 50.32% | 44.79% | D+5.5 | D |
| 47 | 40.04% | 58.29% | R+18.3 | 25.17% | 70.32% | R+45.2 | D |
| 48 | 41.16% | 57.55% | R+16.4 | 46.46% | 48.29% | R+1.8 | R |
| 49 | 32.77% | 65.53% | R+32.8 | 23.27% | 72.25% | R+49 | D |
| 50 | 41.07% | 57.59% | R+16.5 | 30.97% | 64.66% | R+33.7 | R |
| 51 | 26.66% | 72.21% | R+45.5 | 19.84% | 76.57% | R+56.7 | R |
| 52 | 22.27% | 76.72% | R+54.4 | 15.23% | 82.44% | R+67.2 | R |
| 53 | 30.93% | 67.34% | R+36.4 | 21.74% | 73.75% | R+52 | R |
| 54 | 30.10% | 68.30% | R+38.2 | 26.05% | 69.78% | R+43.7 | R |
| 55 | 28.09% | 70.49% | R+42.4 | 23.18% | 70.94% | R+47.8 | R |
| 56 | 42.41% | 55.60% | R+13.2 | 40.91% | 52.53% | R+11.6 | D |
| 57 | 50.60% | 47.40% | D+3.2 | 45.10% | 49.31% | R+4.2 | D |
| 58 | 35.55% | 63.19% | R+27.6 | 30.51% | 64.14% | R+33.6 | R |
| 59 | 30.49% | 67.97% | R+37.5 | 30.74% | 63.05% | R+32.3 | R |
| 60 | 27.40% | 70.85% | R+43.4 | 24.75% | 69.46% | R+44.7 | R |
| 61 | 30.41% | 68.03% | R+37.6 | 21.75% | 73.63% | R+51.9 | R |
| 62 | 37.00% | 61.15% | R+24.2 | 31.04% | 63.50% | R+32.5 | R |
| 63 | 31.20% | 66.99% | R+35.8 | 31.78% | 61.61% | R+29.8 | R |
| 64 | 31.06% | 67.21% | R+36.2 | 26.56% | 67.11% | R+40.5 | R |
| 65 | 56.23% | 41.12% | D+15.1 | 50.32% | 42.57% | D+7.8 | D |
| 66 | 28.55% | 69.70% | R+41.2 | 25.31% | 68.35% | R+43 | R |
| 67 | 48.32% | 49.06% | R+0.7 | 44.07% | 48.71% | R+4.6 | D |
| 68 | 31.30% | 66.80% | R+35.5 | 29.27% | 64.48% | R+35.2 | R |
| 69 | 38.90% | 58.93% | R+20 | 34.35% | 58.94% | R+24.6 | R |
| 70 | 35.60% | 62.91% | R+27.3 | 23.57% | 72.93% | R+49.4 | D |
| 71 | 22.53% | 75.99% | R+53.5 | 18.98% | 77.49% | R+58.5 | R |
| 72 | 40.10% | 58.03% | R+17.9 | 32.18% | 63.34% | R+31.2 | D |
| 73 | 32.99% | 65.40% | R+32.4 | 28.17% | 67.15% | R+39 | R |
| 74 | 36.76% | 61.45% | R+24.7 | 26.75% | 69.75% | R+43 | R |
| 75 | 56.44% | 40.17% | D+16.3 | 59.29% | 32.42% | D+26.9 | D |
| 76 | 54.20% | 43.37% | D+10.8 | 54.52% | 39.06% | D+15.5 | D |
| 77 | 70.90% | 26.97% | D+43.9 | 67.96% | 26.00% | D+42 | D |
| 78 | 35.41% | 62.52% | R+27.1 | 25.41% | 70.22% | R+44.8 | R |
| 79 | 52.52% | 44.89% | D+7.6 | 54.48% | 38.07% | D+16.4 | D |
| 80 | 25.27% | 73.15% | R+47.9 | 18.88% | 77.48% | R+58.6 | R |
| 81 | 41.73% | 55.80% | R+14.1 | 39.31% | 54.03% | R+14.7 | R |
| 82 | 20.17% | 78.63% | R+58.5 | 14.96% | 82.26% | R+67.3 | R |
| 83 | 18.35% | 80.19% | R+61.8 | 13.46% | 83.72% | R+70.3 | R |
| 84 | 18.79% | 79.76% | R+61 | 17.84% | 79.62% | R+61.8 | R |
| 85 | 16.98% | 81.77% | R+64.8 | 13.26% | 83.41% | R+70.1 | R |
| 86 | 21.03% | 77.60% | R+56.6 | 14.55% | 82.39% | R+67.8 | R |
| 87 | 21.56% | 76.86% | R+55.3 | 15.69% | 81.91% | R+66.2 | D |
| 88 | 37.91% | 60.16% | R+22.3 | 42.13% | 50.98% | R+8.8 | R |
| 89 | 21.00% | 77.27% | R+56.3 | 17.30% | 78.99% | R+61.7 | R |
| 90 | 14.04% | 84.43% | R+70.4 | 11.55% | 85.97% | R+74.4 | R |
| 91 | 26.26% | 71.89% | R+45.6 | 21.15% | 75.56% | R+54.4 | R |
| 92 | 26.17% | 71.86% | R+45.7 | 20.45% | 76.99% | R+56.5 | R |
| 93 | 22.68% | 75.61% | R+52.9 | 15.01% | 82.81% | R+67.8 | D |
| 94 | 20.88% | 76.88% | R+56 | 17.76% | 78.99% | R+61.2 | D |
| 95 | 30.76% | 66.72% | R+36 | 23.50% | 73.36% | R+49.9 | R |
| 96 | 33.82% | 63.97% | R+30.1 | 20.35% | 76.02% | R+55.7 | R |
| 97 | 25.32% | 72.56% | R+47.2 | 17.72% | 79.37% | R+61.6 | R |
| 98 | 39.52% | 58.63% | R+19.1 | 25.37% | 71.06% | R+45.7 | R |
| 99 | 40.29% | 57.31% | R+17 | 28.36% | 67.88% | R+39.5 | D |
| 100 | 41.11% | 56.89% | R+15.8 | 29.95% | 65.87% | R+35.9 | D |
| Total | 37.81% | 60.51% | R+22.7 | 32.69% | 62.54% | R+29.8 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Local courts | Kentucky | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Kentucky," October 2, 2014
- ↑ Kentucky Court of Justice, "Family Court," accessed January 6, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Kentucky; Limited Jurisdiction Courts," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Election Schedule," accessed July 22, 2014
- ↑ 270towin.com, "Kentucky," accessed June 1, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky
State courts:
Kentucky Supreme Court • Kentucky Court of Appeals • Kentucky Circuit Courts • Kentucky District Courts • Kentucky Family Court
State resources:
Courts in Kentucky • Kentucky judicial elections • Judicial selection in Kentucky
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