A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 3, 2015. All of Kentucky's executive officers were up for election. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2015.

Quick Facts
2015 Kentucky elections

 2014
2016 
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Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Summarize
Perspective
Quick Facts Turnout, Nominee ...
2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election

 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 
Turnout30%
 
Nominee Matt Bevin Jack Conway
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Jenean Hampton Sannie Overly
Popular vote 511,374 426,620
Percentage 52.5% 43.8%

County results
Bevin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Conway:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election

Steve Beshear
Democratic

Elected Governor

Matt Bevin
Republican

Close

Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Beshear was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office.

In Kentucky, gubernatorial candidates pick their own running mates and they are elected on shared tickets in both the primary and general elections.

The candidates for the Democratic nomination were Attorney General of Kentucky Jack Conway and his running mate State Representative Sannie Overly;[1] and retired engineer and 2014 Congressional candidate Geoff Young and his running mate Jonathan Masters.[2] Conway and Overly easily defeated Young and Masters in the primary election for the Democratic Party nomination.[3]

For the Republicans, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 Matt Bevin ran on a ticket with Tea Party activist and 2014 State House candidate Jenean Hampton;[4] Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky James Comer ran on a ticket with State Senator Christian McDaniel;[5][6] former Louisville Metro Councilman and nominee for Mayor of Louisville in 2010 Hal Heiner ran on a ticket with former Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilwoman and nominee for Kentucky State Treasurer in 2011 KC Crosbie;[7][8] and former Associate Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court Will T. Scott ran on a ticket with former Menifee County Sheriff Rodney Coffey.[9][10] Bevin held an 83-vote lead over Comer in the primary election, with both Heiner and Scott conceding. The Associated Press, referring to the race between Bevin and Comer a "virtual tie", did not call the race in favor of either candidate. In addition, Comer refused to concede and stated that he would ask for a recanvass.[11] The request for recanvass was filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office on May 20, 2015, with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes ordering the recanvass to occur at 9:00 a.m. local time on May 28, 2015.[12][13] Upon completion of the recanvass, Grimes announced that Bevin remained 83 votes ahead of Comer. Grimes also stated that should Comer want a full recount, it would require a court order from the Franklin Circuit Court.[14] On May 29, Comer announced he would not request a recount and conceded the nomination to Bevin.[15]

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Kentucky gubernatorial election, 2015[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Bevin/Jenean Hampton 511,771 52.5
Democratic Jack Conway/Sannie Overly 426,827 43.8
Independent Drew Curtis/Heather Curtis 35,627 3.7
Total votes 974,225 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic
Close

Attorney general

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Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...
2015 Kentucky Attorney General election

 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 
  Thumb Thumb
Nominee Andy Beshear Whitney Westerfield
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 479,929 477,735
Percentage 50.1% 49.9%

Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Beshear:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Westerfield:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Attorney General before election

Jack Conway
Democratic

Elected Attorney General

Andy Beshear
Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democratic attorney general Jack Conway was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. He instead ran for governor.

The candidate that would go on to be elected Attorney General was Andy Beshear, the son of retiring governor Steve Beshear.

In 2016, Steve Beshear's former personal cabinet secretary, Tim Longmeyer, was marred in controversy when he was exposed on bribery charges, including redirecting $6,000 of kickbacks into Andy Beshear's Attorney General campaign.[17] Andy Beshear had recently hired Longmeyer as a deputy. However, the prosecutors in Longmeyer's case indicated that there is no evidence to support that Andy Beshear knew what Longmeyer was doing.[18]

Over the next three years, Republican Governor Matt Bevin spearheaded an investigation into former governor Steve Beshear's administration as well as Andy Beshear's Attorney General campaign. Spending approximately $550,000 leading up to the 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election, the investigation led to no conclusive results regarding the culpability of Steve or Andy Beshear.[19]

Beshear defeated Republican Whitney Westerfield by a margin of 0.2 percent, getting 50.1% of the vote to Westerfield's 49.9%.[20][21] The margin was approximately 2,000 votes.[22]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

  • Luke Morgan, attorney[31]
  • Mark Wohlander, attorney[32]

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican primary results[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Whitney Westerfield 96,581 53.38
Republican Michael T. Hogan 84,364 46.62
Total votes 180,945 100.0
Close

General election

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Andy
Beshear (D)
Whitney
Westerfield (R)
Other Undecided
SurveyUSA[34] October 23–26, 2015 798 ± 3.5% 47% 35% 17%
WKU[35] October 19–25, 2015 770 ± 3.5% 42% 36% 22%
SurveyUSA[36] September 22–27, 2015 701 ± 3.8% 38% 38% 22%
SurveyUSA[37] July 22–28, 2015 685 ± 3.8% 40% 33% 24%
Public Policy Polling[38] June 18–21, 2015 1,108 ± 2.9% 36% 41% 23%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Andy
Beshear (D)
Luke
Morgan (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[39] January 5–6, 2015 608 ± 4% 42% 37% 22%
Close
Hypothetical polling

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Kentucky Attorney General election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Andy Beshear 479,929 50.1
Republican Whitney Westerfield 477,735 49.9
Total votes 957,664 100.0
Democratic hold
Close

Secretary of State

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Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...
2015 Kentucky Secretary of State election

 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 
  Thumb Thumb
Nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes Steve Knipper
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 493,204 470,894
Percentage 51.2% 48.8%

Thumb
Thumb
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Lundergan Grimes:      50–60%      60–70%
Knipper:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Secretary of State before election

Alison Lundergan Grimes
Democratic

Elected Secretary of State

Alison Lundergan Grimes
Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes was eligible to run for re-election to a second term in office. She had considered running for Governor of Kentucky or for Attorney General of Kentucky.[40][41][42] She decided to seek re-election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Results

Thumb
Primary results by county:
  Lundergan Grimes
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
More information Party, Candidate ...
Democratic primary results[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alison Lundergan Grimes (incumbent) 131,640 73.25
Democratic Charles Lovett 48,083 26.75
Total votes 179,723 100.0
Close

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

  • Michael Pitzer, candidate for the State House in 2008[43]

Declined

General election

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Alison
Lundergan
Grimes (D)
Steve
Knipper (R)
Other Undecided
SurveyUSA[34] October 23–26, 2015 798 ± 3.5% 50% 37% 12%
WKU[35] October 19–25, 2015 770 ± 3.5% 46% 35% 19%
SurveyUSA[36] September 22–27, 2015 701 ± 3.8% 46% 38% 15%
SurveyUSA[37] July 22–28, 2015 685 ± 3.8% 46% 40% 12%
Public Policy Polling[38] June 18–21, 2015 1,108 ± 2.9% 42% 47% 12%
Gravis Marketing[39] January 5–6, 2015 608 ± 4% 47% 46% 7%
Close

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Kentucky Secretary of State election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alison Lundergan Grimes (incumbent) 493,598 51.2
Republican Steve Knipper 471,209 48.8
Total votes 964,807 100.0
Democratic hold
Close

State auditor

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Perspective
Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...
2015 Kentucky State Auditor election

 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 
  Thumb Thumb
Nominee Mike Harmon Adam Edelen
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 486,741 450,316
Percentage 51.9% 48.1%

Thumb
Thumb
Harmon:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Edelen:      50–60%      60–70%

Auditor before election

Adam Edelen
Democratic

Elected Auditor

Mike Harmon
Republican

Close

Incumbent Democratic state auditor Adam Edelen had considered running for governor in 2015, even lining up a running mate, but ultimately declined to do so. He instead ran for re-election to a second term in office.[51]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

  • Chris Tobe, CFA, writer, former trustee of the Kentucky Retirement Systems and former staffer to State Auditor Ed Hatchett[45]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

General election

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Adam
Edelen (D)
Mike
Harmon (R)
Other Undecided
SurveyUSA[34] October 23–26, 2015 798 ± 3.5% 42% 34% 22%
WKU[35] October 19–25, 2015 770 ± 3.5% 40% 35% 25%
SurveyUSA[36] September 22–27, 2015 701 ± 3.8% 35% 33% 27%
SurveyUSA[37] July 22–28, 2015 685 ± 3.8% 35% 31% 30%
Public Policy Polling[38] June 18–21, 2015 1,108 ± 2.9% 33% 39% 27%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Adam
Edelen (D)
John
Kemper (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[39] January 5–6, 2015 608 ± 4% 30% 38% 32%
Close
Hypothetical polling

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Kentucky State Auditor election, 2015[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Harmon 486,741 51.9
Democratic Adam Edelen (incumbent) 450,316 48.1
Total votes 937,057 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic
Close

State Treasurer

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Perspective
Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...
2015 Kentucky Treasurer General election

 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 
  Thumb Thumb
Nominee Allison Ball Rick Nelson
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 571,455 372,416
Percentage 60.6% 39.4%

Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Ball:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Nelson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

State Auitor before election

Todd Hollenbach
Democratic

Elected State Auitor

Allison Ball
Republican

Close

Incumbent Democratic State Treasurer Todd Hollenbach was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. He had said that he may run for another office in 2015, but did not specify which, and eventually declined to run for another statewide office.[45] He instead successfully ran for an open seat on the Jefferson County District Court, defeating 20 other candidates.[53]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Neville Blakemore, Executive Chairman of Great Northern Building Products and nominee for Louisville Metro Council in 2006[54]
  • Jim Glenn, State Representative and candidate for State Auditor in 2003[55]
  • Daniel Grossberg, Jefferson County Commissioner and President of the Louisville Young Democrats[54]
  • Richard Henderson, former State Representative and former Mayor of Jeffersonville[56]
  • Rick Nelson, state representative[57]

Declined

  • Colmon Elridge, aide to Governor Steve Beshear and former Executive Vice President of Young Democrats of America[44][58][59]
  • Dee Dee Ford-Keene, businesswoman and former President of the Democratic Women's Club of Kentucky[45][60][61]
  • Chris Tobe, CFA, writer, former trustee of the Kentucky Retirement Systems and former staffer to State Auditor Ed Hatchett[45][60]

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Democratic primary results[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rick Nelson 44,397 27.17
Democratic Neville Blakemore 36,663 22.44
Democratic Richard Henderson 32,914 20.14
Democratic Jim Glenn 31,146 19.06
Democratic Daniel B. Grossberg 18,284 11.19
Total votes 163,404 100.0
Close

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican primary results[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Allison Ball 84,516 46.88
Republican Jon Larson 55,712 30.91
Republican Kenny Imes 40,039 22.21
Total votes 180,267 100.0
Close

General election

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Rick
Nelson (D)
Allison
Ball (R)
Other Undecided
SurveyUSA[34] October 23–26, 2015 798 ± 3.5% 35% 37% 25%
WKU[35] October 19–25, 2015 770 ± 3.5% 32% 37% 31%
SurveyUSA[36] September 22–27, 2015 701 ± 3.8% 33% 35% 28%
SurveyUSA[37] July 22–28, 2015 685 ± 3.8% 36% 33% 29%
Public Policy Polling[38] June 18–21, 2015 1,108 ± 2.9% 32% 41% 26%
Gravis Marketing[39] January 5–6, 2015 608 ± 4% 32% 34% 35%
Close

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Kentucky State Treasurer election, 2015[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Allison Ball 571,455 60.6
Democratic Rick Nelson 372,416 39.4
Total votes 943,871 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic
Close

Agriculture Commissioner

Summarize
Perspective

Incumbent Republican Agriculture Commissioner James Comer did not run for re-election to a second term in office. He instead ran for governor, and was defeated by Matt Bevin in the Republican primary.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Jean-Marie Lawson Spann, businesswoman, radio host and agriculture activist[65][66]

Declined

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican primary results[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan Quarles 92,700 50.39
Republican Richard Heath 91,273 49.61
Total votes 183,973 100.0
Close

General election

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Ryan
Quarles (R)
Jean-Marie
Lawson
Spann (D)
Other Undecided
SurveyUSA[34] October 23–26, 2015 798 ± 3.5% 40% 33% 24%
WKU[35] October 19–25, 2015 770 ± 3.5% 37% 30% 33%
SurveyUSA[36] September 22–27, 2015 701 ± 3.8% 34% 31% 29%
SurveyUSA[37] July 22–28, 2015 685 ± 3.8% 33% 32% 30%
Gravis Marketing[39] January 5–6, 2015 608 ± 4% 39% 31% 30%
Close

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan Quarles 563,383 60.1
Democratic Jean-Marie Lawson Spann 374,402 39.9
Total votes 937,785 100.0
Republican hold
Close

Kentucky Supreme Court

District 7

Thumb
Results by county:
  Wright
  •   50–60%
  •   80–90%
  Stumbo
  •   50–60%

A non-partisan special election was held along with the May 19, 2015 primary elections to fill the 7th district seat of the Kentucky Supreme Court.[73] The seat was vacated when Justice Will T. Scott resigned to run for governor.[74] The winner of the election was elected to serve the remainder of Scott's term, with the seat coming up for re-election next in 2020.

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
General election results[76]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Sam Wright 40,676 51.85%
Independent Janet Stumbo 37,772 48.15%
Total votes 78,448 100%
Close

References

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