| Elections in Kentucky |
|---|
 |
 Government |
The 2023 Kentucky Secretary of State election took place on November 7, 2023, to elect the Secretary of State of Kentucky. Incumbent secretary of state Michael Adams won re-election to a second term after he defeated Democratic nominee Buddy Wheatley. Primaries were held on May 16, 2023.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Michael Adams, incumbent secretary of state[1]
Eliminated in primary
- Stephen Knipper, former Erlanger city councilor, nominee for Secretary of State in 2015 and candidate in 2019[2]
- Allen Maricle, former state representative (1994–1998)[3]
Results
Adams
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
Knipper
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Michael Adams | 171,288 | 63.9 | |
| Republican | Stephen Knipper | 70,993 | 26.5 | |
| Republican | Allen Maricle | 25,772 | 9.6 | |
| Total votes | 268,053 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Buddy Wheatley, former state representative (2019–2023)[4]
Declined
- Neville Blakemore, construction executive and candidate for state treasurer in 2015[5]
Endorsements
Buddy Wheatley
- Organizations
- United Mine Workers of America[6]
- Kentucky State AFL-CIO[7]
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[8] | Likely R | June 21, 2023 |
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Michael Adams (R) |
Buddy Wheatley (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Opinion Strategies (R)[A] | July 19–20, 2023 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 48% | 24% | 26% |
Debates
| No. | Date | Host | Link | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P Participant A Absent I Invitee | |||||
| Michael Adams | Buddy Wheatley | ||||
| 1 | October 19, 2023 | WLKY | YouTube | P | P |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |
|
783,695 | 60.59% | +8.33% | |
| Democratic | 509,308 | 39.38% | -8.36% | ||
| Write-in | 460 | 0.04% | |||
| Total votes | 1,293,463 | 100.00% | |||
Notes
- ^ Poll commissioned by the Republican State Leadership Committee
- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
References
- ^ "Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams makes decision on reelection bid". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ^ Robinson, Brandon (2023-01-19). "Chief of staff for former Lt. Governor files to run for Kentucky Secretary of State". WYMT-TV. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ^ Barr, Thomas (2022-09-07). "Maricle looks at run for secretary of state office". PMG-KY1.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ^ Storm, Nick (20 December 2022). "Rep. Buddy Wheatley Announces Run for Secretary of State". www.kentuckyfried.com. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
- ^ Horn, Austin (5 December 2022). "Aside from Beshear, which Ky. Dems are running in 2023? Few have announced". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Kentucky - COMPAC Endorsements". Archived from the original on 2023-04-17.
- ^ "Endorsements 2023 | Kentucky State AFL-CIO". ky.aflcio.org. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
- ^ "The 2023 and 2024 Attorney General and Secretary of State Races". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ "WLKY hosts Kentucky secretary of state debate". 19 October 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-05.