The Green Papers: Kentucky State and Local Government

Home ❯ State and Local Governmen… ❯ Kentucky

Governor:1
Senators: 2 (Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
2020 Census: 4,509,342 (1.36% of 331,797,979
- 2024, 2028 Electors: 8 (1.49% of 538)
- 2022-2030 Representatives: 6 (1.38% of 435)
2010 Census: 4,350,606 (1.40% of 309,785,186)
- 2012, 2016, 2020 Electors: 8 (1.49% of 538)
- 2012-2020 Representatives: 6 (1.38% of 435)
Capital: Frankfort

Current Kentucky Statewide Office Holders

Official Name/Status All States

The COMMONWEALTH of Kentucky
Status: STATE of the Union
never organized as a Territory: previously, part of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Admitted to the Union as a State: 1 June 1792 the date for achieving Statehood had been expressly stated in the Enabling Act (1 Stat. 189)
The 15th state.

Traditional Sections and Regions All States

Section: SOUTH
Region: Upper ["Border"] South
Survey: Metes & Bounds

Constitutions All States Links to State Constitutions

Enabling Act (of the Congress of the United States): 4 February 1791 [1 Stat. 189: accepting the cession by Virginia- in legislation adopted by that State on 18 December 1789- of its "District of Kentucky" and authorizing the formation of a State government and Admission thereafter]
- 1st (1792-1799) [Adopted: 19 April 1792 Convention convened, 2 April 1792, Ratified: 19 April 1792 not submitted to the People; effective upon Admission, 1 June 1792]
- 2nd (1800-1850) [Adopted: 17 August 1799 Convention convened, 22 July 1799, Ratified: 17 August 1799 not submitted to the People; effective 1 January 1800]
- 3rd (1850-1891) [Adopted: 7 May 1850 Convention convened, 1 October 1849, Ratified: 11 June 1850 ratified by a vote of 71,563 to 20,302]
- 4th (1891-) [Adopted: 28 September 1891 Convention convened, 9 September 1890; the Convention submitted its work to the People on 11 April 1891 and recessed. On 2 September 1891, after this Constitution had already been ratified by the People, the Convention reconvened and- after approving a number of amendments to it- declared the amended result to have been adopted on 28 September, Ratified: 3 August 1891 ratified by a vote of 213,950 to 74,446]

Executive Branch All States

Chief Executive
- GOVERNOR
Successor to a Vacancy
- Lieutenant Governor [elected on same ticket with GOVERNOR; nominated with Governor as well]

Major Executive Officers Elected Statewide All States
- Governor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2023, 2027. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
- Lieutenant Governor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2023, 2027. Elected on a ticket with Governor; no separate Primary for Lt Gov from Gov
- Secretary of State: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2023, 2027
- Attorney General: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2023, 2027
- Treasurer: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2023, 2027
- Auditor of Public Accounts: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2023, 2027
- Commissioner of Agriculture: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2023, 2027

Legislative Branch All States

Legislature
- GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Upper House
- Senate
Lower House
- House of Representatives

Judicial Branch All States

Court of Last Resort
- Supreme Court
Intermediate Appellate Court
- Court of Appeals

Local Government All States

PRIMARY CIVIL DIVISION All States
- County [Type: Strong, Executive: Judge(=Executive), Legislative: FISCAL COURT]
  - MINOR CIVIL DIVISION
    - district [Type: None, Executive and Legislative: no associated governmental structure]

Localities All States
- Kentucky Civil Divisions and Municipalities

Key Statewide / Federal Officials All States

Kentucky Officials

Statutory Election Information All States

General Election All States
- Federal: Tuesday next after first Monday in November in even-numbered years.
  State: Tuesday next after first Monday in November in odd-numbered years. [Ky. Const. § 148]
Presidential Primary All States
- ... the first Tuesday after the third Monday in May, in each presidential election year (KRS 118.561(1))
State Primary All States
- (--2008) (KRS 118.025(3)) 1st Tuesday after 3rd Monday in May.
  (KRS 118.245) (1) The candidate for office, other than the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, receiving the highest number of votes in a primary ... shall be the nominee .... (2) A slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor that receives not less than forty percent (40%) of its party's votes cast shall be the nominee ... except that if two (2) slates of candidates receive forty percent (40%) or more of their party's votes, the slate receiving the higher number of votes shall be its party's nominee, and no runoff primary shall be conducted.
  (KSR 118.025 (4)) A runoff primary shall be held thirty-five (35) days after the date of the May primary, if it shall be necessary, pursuant to KRS 118.245, unless that date falls on a holiday; in that case, a runoff primary shall be held on the succeeding Tuesday. However, if either a primary election is contested or a recount of the votes cast in a primary is requested, a runoff primary shall be held on the first Tuesday following the thirty-fifth day following the conclusion of any contest proceeding or recount, if it shall be necessary, unless that date falls on a holiday; in that case, a runoff primary shall be held on the succeeding Tuesday.
- (2008--) (KRS 118.025(3)) 1st Tuesday after 3rd Monday in May.
  (KRS 118.245) (1) The candidate for office, other than the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, receiving the highest number of votes in a primary election for the office ... shall be the nominee .... (2) The slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor receiving the highest number of votes in a primary shall be the nominees ....
Polling times All States
- The polls shall be opened on the day of a primary, runoff primary, special election, or regular election at 6 a.m., prevailing time, and shall remain open until each voter who is waiting in line at the polls at 6 p.m., prevailing time, has voted. (KRS 118.035(1))

Links Links to other web sites. These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes.

Constitution
- Kentucky Constitution.
Election Authority. All States
Democratic
- Kentucky Democratic Party
Republican
- Republican Party of Kentucky
Third Party
Media & others

State and Local Government Outline

Modified .