2019 Kentucky Secretary of State election
{{Short description|none}}
{{see also|2019 Kentucky elections}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2019 Kentucky Secretary of State election
| country = Kentucky
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2015 Kentucky Secretary of State election
| previous_year = 2015
| election_date = November 5, 2019
| next_election = 2023 Kentucky Secretary of State election
| next_year = 2023
| turnout =
| image_size = x150px
| image1 = Michael Adams.jpg
| nominee1 = Michael Adams
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 746,629
| percentage1 = 52.3%
| image2 = Heather French 2008.png
| nominee2 = Heather French Henry
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 682,096
| percentage2 = 47.7%
| map_image = {{switcher|300px |County results |300px |Congressional district results|300px |Precinct results }}
| map_size = 300px
| map_caption = Adams: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#c21b18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
French Henry: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584CDE|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933E5|80-90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#ae8bb1|50%}} {{legend0|#808080|No data}}
| title = Secretary of State
| before_election = Alison Lundergan Grimes
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Michael Adams
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsKY}}
The 2019 Kentucky Secretary of State election was held on November 5, 2019, to elect the secretary of state of Kentucky. Primary elections were held on May 21, 2019. Incumbent Democratic secretary Alison Lundergan Grimes was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits, creating the first open election for secretary of state since 2003.
Republican nominee Michael Adams narrowly defeated Democratic nominee Heather French Henry.{{cite news |title=Republican Michael Adams Wins Kentucky Secretary Of State |work=WFPL |date=November 5, 2019 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |first=Amina |last=Elahi |url=https://wfpl.org/republican-michael-adams-wins-kentucky-secretary-of-state/}} This was the only statewide race in Kentucky in 2019 besides the gubernatorial election in which the victory margin was single digits. It was also the only non-gubernatorial statewide election in Kentucky, Louisiana, or Mississippi (all of these states were staunchly Republican in 2019) where the Democrat achieved more than 45% of the vote in 2019.
Democratic primary
= Candidates =
- Jason Belcher, U.S. Air Force veteran and writer{{cite web |title=I would work to boost voter turnout as secretary of state |first=Jason |last=Belcher |date=May 5, 2019 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2019/05/05/kentucky-secretary-state-candidates-jason-belcher/3643963002/ |url-access=limited}}
- Jason Griffith, teacher and businessman{{cite web |title=I'd protect voters, promote business as secretary of state |first=Jason |last=Griffith |date=May 5, 2019 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2019/05/05/kentucky-secretary-state-candidates-jason-griffith/3640589002/ |url-access=limited}}
- Heather French Henry, former Kentucky Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and former Miss America{{cite news |title=Former Miss America Heather French Henry to run for Kentucky office |first=Phillip M. |last=Bailey |work=The Courier-Journal |date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/23/former-miss-america-heather-french-henry-run-kentucky-secretary-state/2656062002/ |url-access=limited}}
- Geoff Sebesta, comic book artist{{cite news |title=Here's Who's Running For Ky. Governor And Other Offices |date=January 29, 2019 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=WFPL |first=Ryland |last=Barton |url=https://wfpl.org/filing-deadline-for-governor-ky-constitutional-offices-is-today/}}
= Results =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Democratic primary results{{cite web |title=Official May 21, 2019 Primary Election Results |work=Kentucky State Board of Elections |access-date=April 6, 2022 |url=https://elect.ky.gov/results/2010-2019/Documents/2019PrimaryCertifiedResults.pdf}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Heather French Henry
|votes = 263,431
|percentage = 70.99
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Jason Belcher
|votes = 47,930
|percentage = 12.92
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Jason Griffith
|votes = 47,657
|percentage = 12.84
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Geoff Sebesta
|votes = 12,087
|percentage = 3.26
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 371,105
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
= Candidates =
- Michael Adams, general counsel for the Republican Governors Association and former aide to U.S. senator Mitch McConnell{{cite news |title=As secretary of state, I would require a photo ID to vote |first=Michael G. |last=Adams |date=May 5, 2019 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2019/05/05/kentucky-secretary-state-candidates-michael-adams/3632480002/ |url-access=limited}}
- Andrew English, former general counsel for the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and U.S. Navy veteran{{cite news |title=Oldham County native Andrew English announces run for Ky. Secretary of State |work=WDRB |date=November 11, 2018 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |location=Louisville, Kentucky |url=https://www.wdrb.com/news/politics/oldham-county-native-andrew-english-announces-run-for-ky-secretary/article_a7e7e8c9-5528-5ea2-8c48-111510137b58.html}}
- Stephen Knipper, cyber security expert, former Erlanger city councilor and nominee for secretary of state in 2015{{cite news |title=Knipper jumps head-first into crowded field for secretary of state |orig-date=January 28, 2019 |date=October 6, 2021 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |first=Tom |last=Latek |work=KentuckyToday |url=https://www.kentuckytoday.com/downloads/knipper-jumps-head-first-into-crowded-field-for-secretary-of-state/article_e16fd259-fc02-5339-9f10-3b6a1a4e476f.html}}
- Carl Nett, former counterintelligence officer{{cite news |title=Police contacted Carl Nett, secretary of state candidate, about threat against John Yarmuth |first1=Phillip M. |last1=Bailey |first2=Thomas |last2=Novelly |date=March 21, 2018 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2018/03/21/police-contacted-carl-nett-candidate-secretary-state-theat-yarmuth/444687002/ |url-access=limited}}
= Polling =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;" |
| valign= bottom
! Poll source ! Date(s) ! Sample ! Margin of ! style="width:75px;"| Michael ! style="width:75px;"| Andrew ! style="width:75px;"| Steve ! style="width:75px;"| Carl ! style="width:50px;" | Undecided |
| style="text-align:left;"|Cygnal[http://www.cygn.al/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/90510-Cygnal-KY-Toplines.pdf Cygnal]
|May 10–12, 2019 |600 |± 4.0% |{{party shading/Republican}}|11% |10% |7% |5% |{{party shading/Undecided}}|68% |
= Results =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Republican primary results}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Michael Adams
|votes = 94,417
|percentage = 41.27
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Andrew English
|votes = 62,680
|percentage = 27.39
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Steve Knipper
|votes = 41,369
|percentage = 18.08
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Carl Nett
|votes = 30,340
|percentage = 13.26
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 228,806
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
General election
= Polling =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;" |
| valign= bottom
! Poll source ! Date(s) ! Sample ! Margin of ! style="width:100px;"| Heather ! style="width:100px;"| Michael ! style="width:50px;" | Undecided |
| style="text-align:left;"|Clarity Campaign Labs (D)[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u8YVWbHfqEgiA5WpK3jow5QrSim3zjLJ/view Clarity Campaign Labs (D)]{{efn-ua|Poll sponsored by Democratic Attorney General Association|name="DAGA"}}
|October 23–26, 2015 |798 |± 3.5% |{{party shading/Democratic}}|52% |37% |9% |
= Results =
{{Election box begin |title=2019 Kentucky secretary of state election{{cite web |title=Official November 5, 2019 Election Results |work=Kentucky State Board of Elections |access-date=April 6, 2022 |url=https://elect.ky.gov/results/2010-2019/Documents/2019%20General%20Certified%20Results.pdf}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Michael Adams
|votes = 746,629
|percentage = 52.26%
|change = +3.42
}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Heather French Henry|votes=682,096|percentage=47.74%|change=–3.42}}{{Election box total
|votes = 1,428,725
|percentage = 100.00%
|change =
}}{{Election box gain with party link no swing
|winner = Republican Party (United States)
|loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}{{Election box end}}
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{2019 United States elections}}
{{Elections in Kentucky footer}}