Kentucky House and Senate Republicans maintain supermajority

While the presidential race may have driven most voter turnout for the 2024 general election – with 58.8% of registered Kentucky voters casting a ballot – races for the state legislature were also decided Tuesday.  

Most incumbents will be returning to Frankfort for the 2025 General Session, however there will be some new faces at the Capitol. 

All 100 Kentucky House districts were up for election this year, but only 45 districts had a general election race. There were two upsets on election night in districts comprised partially of Fayette County: 

• District 45 - Fayette (part), Jessamine (part): In a tight race, Democrat Adam Moore defeated Republican Thomas Jefferson and flipped the seat that Republican Killian Timoney previously held. 

• District 88 - Fayette (part), Scott (part): Republican Vanessa Grossl defeated Democratic incumbent and minority caucus chair Cherylynn Stevenson in a very close race. 

The two upsets on each side of the aisle will keep the House party makeup the same, with Republicans retaining a supermajority of 80-20.  

There will be 15 freshmen House members going into the 2025 legislative session, nine Republicans and six Democrats.  

The 19 odd-numbered Senate districts were up for election this year, but only seven districts had a contested general election race. The Senate did not see any upsets on election night and will retain the Republican supermajority of 31-7.  

Pineville mayor Scott Madon won District 29 (Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Letcher) as a write-in candidate after Sen. Johnnie Turner passed away a week before the election from injuries sustained in an accident the month prior.  

There will be six freshmen Senate members going into the 2025 legislative session, five Republicans and one Democrat.  

There were two constitutional amendments on the ballot this year.  

Amendment 1 passed with more than 60% of the vote and will add language to the Kentucky Constitution that “…no person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be allowed to vote in the state.” 

Amendment 2 failed with about 65% of voters casting no votes. The change would have amended the Constitution to say “The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189​ of this Constitution notwithstanding.”