Kentucky secretary of state election, 2011
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The Kentucky Secretary of State election of 2011 was held on November 8, 2011, following a primary election on May 17, 2011. Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) defeated Bill Johnson (R).
Background
After incumbent Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R) was defeated by Rand Paul (R) in the 2010 U.S. Senate primary, he announced that he would not seek re-election as secretary of state.[1][2] Grayson resigned as secretary of state in January 2011 to take a position as director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.[3]
Governor Steve Beshear (D) appointed Bowling Green Mayor Elaine Walker (D) to replace Grayson on Friday, January 7th, 2011. She was officially sworn into office three weeks later on Saturday, January 29th.[4][5]
General election
Candidates
Republican Party - Todd County businessman Bill Johnson
Democratic Party - Lexington attorney Alison Lundergan Grimes
Endorsements
Bill Johnson
- Kentucky Right to Life[6]
- Northern Kentucky Right to Life[6]
- Take Back Kentucky[6]
- Coal Fed Families[6]
- Central Kentucky Tea Party Patriots[6]
- Freedom Heritage Forum[6]
- Michael Lewis, Chairman of Independent Kentucky[6]
- State Sens. Damon Thayer and Jack Westwood[7]
- State Reps. Jim DeCesare, Wade Hurt, and Ryan Quarles
Alison Lundergan Grimes
- United Food & Commercial Workers Local 227[8]
- United Steelworkers District 8[8]
- Teamsters Local Union No. 651[8]
- United Mine Workers of Kentucky[8]
- Kentucky Laborers' District Council[8]
- The Communication Workers of America[8]
- Kentucky State Council of Machinists[8]
- Kentucky Professional Firefighters & Louisville Retired Firefighters[8]
- Indiana Kentucky Regional Council of Carpenters & Millwrights[8]
- U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler[8]
- Former Governors Martha Layne Collins, Brereton Jones, and Julian Carroll[8]
- Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo[8]
- Former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Terry McAuliffe.[8]
- State Sens. R.J. Palmer, Johnny Ray Turner, Joey Pendleton, Dennis Parrett, Kathy Stein, Robin Webb, Tim Shaughnessy, Ray Jones, Walter Blevins and Perry Clark[8]
- State Reps. John Tilley, Rocky Adkins, Fred Nesler, Will Coursey, Melvin Henley, James Glenn, Jr., David Watkins, Brent Yonts, Johnny Bell, Martha King, Jimmie Lee, Jeff Greer, Charles Miller, Thomas Burch, Mary Marzian, Thomas Riner, Darryl Owens, Joni Jenkins, Carl Rollins, II, Rick Rand, Derrick Graham, Arnold Simpson, Mitchel Denham, Jr., Dennis Keene, John Stacy, Sannie Overly, Richard Henderson, Jesse Crenshaw, Rita Smart, Fitz Steele, John Short, Ted Edmonds, Keith Hall, Leslie Combs, Hubert Collins, Tanya Pullin and Kevin Sinnette[8]
Debates
September 19, 2011 - Kentucky Tonight, KET
On September 19, the television program Kentucky Tonight hosted an hour-long debate between Republican candidate Bill Johnson and Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes. Voter registration rules were a central topic. Johnson proposed a photo ID requirement for voter registration to limit fraud, a policy Grimes opposed as unfair to the elderly, the homeless, and students. Johnson also argued against a 2012 constitutional amendment that would allow persons convicted of non-violent felonies to vote after serving out their sentence; Grimes supported the measure.
Campaign finance
Neither candidate filed general election campaign finance reports as of October 5, 2011.[9] See below for finance summaries from the primaries.
Polling
| Date of Poll | Pollster | Bill Johnson (R) | Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) | Undecided | Number polled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29-31, 2011[10] | cn|2/Braun Research | 27.9% | 36.8% | 35.3% | 803 |
| Aug. 25-28, 2011[11] | Public Policy Polling | 35% | 38% | 26% | 800 |
| Jun. 6-8, 2011[12] | cn|2 | 32.6% | 43.8% | 23.6% | 797 |
Noteworthy events
Voter registration
Republican candidate Bill Johnson filed an ethics complaint against Democratic incumbent Elaine Walker for ordering the State Board of Elections to register homeless citizens to vote even if they couldn't provide a home address on their registration forms.
In a blog post published on his campaign website, Johnson said that Kentucky election law (KRS 166.155) required prospective voters to fill in an address on their voter registration card before being allowed to cast a ballot. He added that "providing an address is critical to determining and state residency," and suggested allowing voter registration without an address "opens our election process to potential fraud by felons, illegal immigrants, and other ineligible voters who only claim to be homeless."[13] Johnson's memo called for Walker to resign and said Alison Lundergan Grimes, who faced Johnson in November after defeating Walker in the May 17 Democratic primary, was unfit for office due to her stance on homeless voter registration.[14]
In response, Grimes said, "No group—regardless of your economic status—should be denied the most basic right that each of us are entitled to here in the commonwealth of Kentucky and that's our right to exercise our voice on Election Day."[15]
The Executive Branch Ethics Commission did not take action on the ethics complaint filed by Johnson against Walker and the State Board of Elections, citing lack of jurisdiction.[16] Walker said the state was following proper procedures and federal guidelines for voter registration.[17]
Primary election
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Incumbent Elaine Walker[18]
- Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Lexington attorney[19]
Election results
| Secretary of State -- Democratic primary results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Democratic Party | Alison Lundergan Grimes
|
55.25% | |
| Democratic Party | Elaine Walker | 44.75% | |
| Total Votes | 154,610 | ||
Finances
Elaine Walker
As of September 2, 2011, the breakdown of Walker's campaign finances was as follows:
| Elaine Walker Campaign Finance Reports -- Primary Election[20] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | |||
| Total | --- | --- | $185,435.30 | $176,685.57 | --- | |||
| 60-Day Post-Primary | 7/16/2011 | $396.11 | $300.00 | $204.29 | $491.82 | |||
| 30-Day Post-Primary | 6/16/2011 | $94,036.27 | $61,190.00 | $154,830.16 | $396.11 | |||
| 15-Day Pre-Primary | 5/2/2011 | $79,269.38 | $23,025.00 | $8,258.11 | $94,036.27 | |||
| 32-Day Pre-Primary | 4/15/2011[21] | $0.00 | $100,920.50 | $21,651.12 | $79,269.38 | |||
Alison Lundergan Grimes
As of September 2, 2011, the breakdown of Grimes' campaign finances was as follows:
| Alison Lundergan Grimes Campaign Finance Reports -- Primary Election[22] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | |||
| Total | --- | --- | $442,135.00 | $386,348.49 | --- | |||
| 60-Day Post-Primary | 7/16/2011 | $42,916.98 | $9,850.00 | $0.00 | $52,766.98 | |||
| 30-Day Post-Primary | 6/16/2011 | $311,745.61 | $53,625.00 | $319,459.10 | $45,911.51 | |||
| 15-Day Pre-Primary | 5/2/2011 | $256,347.69 | $75,377.00 | $19,954.08 | $311,770.61 | |||
| 32-Day Pre-Primary | 4/15/2011 | $0.00 | $303,283.00 | $46,935.31 | $256,347.69 | |||
Withdrawn candidates
- Joe Graviss, a Versailles businessman and McDonald's franchise owner who filed a letter of intent with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance on Wednesday, May 19th, 2010, withdrew two months later because of a “contractual obligation” to the fast-food company.[23]
Republican primary
Candidates
- Bill Johnson, Western Kentucky businessman and a 10-year veteran of the United States Navy[24][25]
- Hilda Legg, a former administrator of the USDA Rural Utilities Service in Washington, DC[26]
Election results
| Secretary of State -- Republican primary results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Republican Party | Bill Johnson
|
50.42% | |
| Republican Party | Hilda Legg | 49.58% | |
| Total Votes | 131,714 | ||
- NOTE: Hilda Legg requested a recanvass of the vote in the Republican primary, which was conducted on May 26. It did not change the result.[27]
Finances
Bill Johnson
As of September 2, 2011, the breakdown of Johnson's campaign finances was as follows:
| Bill Johnson Campaign Finance Reports -- Primary Election[28] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | |||
| Total | --- | --- | $25,691.09 | $23,861.85 | --- | |||
| 60-Day Post-Primary | 7/16/2011 | $1,860.74 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1,860.74 | |||
| 30-Day Post-Primary | 6/16/2011 | $1,771.65 | $1,650.00 | $1,560.91 | $1,860.74 | |||
| 15-Day Pre-Primary | 5/2/2011 | $3,539.35 | $925.00 | $2,574.20 | $1,890.15 | |||
| 32-Day Pre-Primary | 4/15/2011[29] | $4,714.06 | $13,146.09 | $14,470.80 | $3,389.35 | |||
| Quarterly | 12/31/2010[30] | $0.00 | $9,970.00 | $5,255.94 | $4,714.06 | |||
Hilda Legg
As of September 2, 2011, the breakdown of Legg's campaign finances was as follows:
| Hilda Legg Campaign Finance Reports -- Primary Election[31] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | |||
| Total | --- | --- | $165,095.00 | $165,566.82 | --- | |||
| 60-Day Post-Primary | 7/16/2011 | $-5,135.82 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $-5,135.82 | |||
| 30-Day Post-Primary | 6/16/2011 | $116,751.97 | $21,185.00 | $138,722.34 | $-785.37 | |||
| 15-Day Pre-Primary | 5/2/2011 | $103,951.64 | $24,525.00 | $11,411.12 | $117,065.52 | |||
| 32-Day Pre-Primary | 4/21/2011[32] | $0.00 | $119,385.00 | $15,433.36 | $103,951.64 | |||
Key dates
The following table details key dates and deadlines 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 |
External links
- List of candidates qualified for Kentucky's May 17 Secretary of State primary
- Green Paper's list of candidates for Kentucky Attorney General, 2011
Republican candidates
Democratic candidates
Footnotes
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "2010 Republican Primary Election Results," accessed March 11, 2015
- ↑ Courier Journal, "Trey Grayson says he won't seek public office in 2011" 24 Nov. 2010
- ↑ BusinessLexington, "Trey Grayson to step down as Secretary of State, take job at Harvard," March 2, 2012
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Bowling Green mayor to replace Trey Grayson as secretary of state" 8 Jan. 2011
- ↑ Bowling Green Daily News, "Elaine Walker sworn in as secretary of state," January 30, 2011
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Jefferson Review, "Bill Johnson announces endorsements," April 28, 2011
- ↑ Bill Johnson -- Candidate Facebook Page, "Bill Johnson Announces Early Endorsements!" December 8, 2010
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 Alison Lundergan Grimes for Secretary of State, "Endorsements," accessed July 12, 2011
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Searches," accessed October 5, 2011
- ↑ cn|2 "cn|2 Poll: Beshear's lead increases but other races largely unchanged since June," accessed September 8, 2011
- ↑ Public Policy Polling, "Beshear set to romp, helping Dems down-ballot," August 30, 2011
- ↑ cn|2 Pure Politics, "Down ballot Democrats begin with leads; Auditor race is closest in cn|2 Poll," accessed July 12, 2011
- ↑ Bill Johnson for KY Secretary of State 2011, "No Address, No Voter Registration. That is the Law!" accessed July 7, 2011
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Bill Johnson slams Secretary of State and his opponent on homeless voter registration," July 6, 2011
- ↑ Louisville Public Media "Sec. of State Candidates Spar Over Homeless Voters," accessed October 13, 2025
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Ethics panel declines to act on complaint about registering homeless voters," accessed October 13, 2025
- ↑ WKU Public Radio, "Secretary of State Responds to Complaint about Homeless Voter Registration," accessed October 13, 2025
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Bowling Green mayor to replace Trey Grayson as secretary of state" 8 Jan. 2011
- ↑ Bowling Green Daily News, "Lexington attorney to face Walker in race" 21 Jan. 2011
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Searches," accessed September 2, 2011
- ↑ Amended on 5/3/2011
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Searches," accessed September 2, 2011
- ↑ Bluegrass Politics, "Versailles businessman files for Secretary of State" 20 May, 2010
- ↑ Cincinnati Inquirer, "Bill Johnson to run for secretary of state in 2011" 28 Sept. 2010
- ↑ Bluegrass Politics, "Bill Johnson files to run for secretary of state" 8 Nov. 2010
- ↑ cn|2, "Hilda Legg withdraws from GOP primary for 15th Senate District citing 'moving target' of lines," February 29, 2012
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Legg concedes Republican Secretary of State primary to Johnson," May 27, 2011
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Searches," accessed September 2, 2011
- ↑ Amended on 5/3/2011
- ↑ Amended on 1/4/2011
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Searches," accessed July 12, 2011
- ↑ Amended on 4/24/2011
