Election results
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New sheriff and school board members will take office
Local voter turnout for the 2022 General Election was a bit higher than usual with 39% of McCreary County’s registered voters casting their ballots. Of McCreary County’s 11,500 registered voters, a total of 4,505 cast their ballots. Of those casting ballots, 1,343 chose to vote straight Republican Party while 160 Democrats voted straight Democratic Party.
While most candidates for local office in the General Election were incumbents running unopposed, there were five contested McCreary County races. In the race for McCreary County Sheriff, challenger David Sampson (R ) defeated incumbent Sheriff Randy Waters (D ) by a total of 77 votes. Sampson garnered 2,239 votes (50.87%) to Waters’ 2,162 (49.13%). In the County PVA race, incumbent Dwight Ross (R ) retained the position by fending off his opponent, Bruce Lominac (I), with a vote count of 3,046 to 1,278.
Third and fourth district incumbent magistrates Bobby Strunk (R ) and Randy Maxwell (R ) remained in office after netting 709 and 750 votes, respectively. Their opponents, write-in candidates Kathy King (3rd District) and Sue Ann Cooper (4th District) pulled in 318 and 276 votes, respectively.
In the contested non-partisan 4th Division School Board race, challenger Estill Swain defeated incumbent Lori Foster.
Republican incumbent State Representative Ken Upchurch returned to office. Representative Upchurch, who represents the 52nd District consisting of McCreary, Wayne, and part of Pulaski Counties, garnered 3,762 votes in McCreary County.
In the non-partisan District Judge 34th Judicial District 1st Division race encompassing voters in both McCreary and Whitley Counties, incumbent Judge Cathy E. Prewitt defeated her opponent, Seth Reeves. Although Judge Prewitt lost to Reeves in Whitley County, Prewitt’s overwhelming support in McCreary County (2,326 votes to 1,381) was enough for her to score an overall win and retain the position.
The following incumbents ran unopposed in the General Election for local governmental office and retained their positions: County Judge Executive Jimmie “Bevo” Greene (R )-3,824, County Attorney Austin Price (R )-3,730, County Clerk Eric Haynes (R )-3,942, Jailer Jessie Hatfield (R )-3,619, Coroner Tim Corder (R )-3,779, County Surveyor Jim Watters (R )-3,560, Magistrate District 1 Bill Hale (R )-854, Constable District 1 (R )-828, Magistrate District 2 Roger Phillips (R )-897, Constable District 2 Freddie Clark (R )-912, Constable District 3 Cody Stephens (R )-878, and Constable District 4 David Kilby (R )-910.
The following incumbent judicial candidates ran unopposed and retained their positions serving McCreary County as part of their duties: Judge Court of Appeals 3rd Appellate District 1st Division and 2nd Division-Jacqueline Caldwell and James H. Lambert, respectively; Circuit Judge 34th Judicial Circuit 1st and 2nd Division-Dan Ballou and Paul K. Winchester, respectively; and District Judge 34th Judicial District 1st and 2nd Division-Cathy E. Prewitt and Fred F. White, respectively.
The following McCreary County school board members ran unopposed: incumbents Braxton King and Stacey Hammons, newcomer Cody Perry.
Locally, McCreary Countians voted yes to both constitutional amendments; however statewide, the amendments were voted down.
Statewide and locally, Republican incumbents U. S. Senator Rand Paul and U. S. Representative 5th District Hal Rogers returned to office by easily defeating Democratic challengers, Charles Booker and Conor Halbleib.
Photo by Eugenia Jones McCreary County Court Clerk Eric Haynes calls off tallies to those waiting to get results from the General Election.
Candidates and citizens gathered at the McCreary County Courthouse on election night to get results from the General Election voting.
