New and familiar faces, constitutional amendments and cannabis top Knox election in record-breaking turnout

The general election for 2024 is over with 55.13% of registered voters casting their ballots in Knox County, a percentage record. The total number of ballots cast was 13,250.

The most decisive victory of the evening in Knox County was for former president Donald J. Trump, besting challenger current Vice-President Kamala Harris. Trump received 11,178 votes to Harris' 1,821 votes.

On the ballot were two constitutional amendments. The first was a measure prohibiting persons who are not citizens of the United States from being allowed to vote in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Knox County voters voted overwhelmingly to approve the measure, with 7,863 votes in favor and 3,799 votes against the measure. The measure passed statewide.

Constitutional Amendment 2, a measure "to give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children... by enabling the General Assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated..." The measure was met with swift criticism from Governor Andy Beshear, public school officials, teachers and representatives with the Kentucky Education Association, claiming the measure would divert needed funds from already-struggling public schools’ budgets, effectively slashing the jobs of potentially thousands of teachers statewide. In Knox County, the measure failed by a vote of 7,760 to 4,907. Like Knox County, the measure failed statewide.

A measure to allow the sale of medical cannabis at licensed dispensaries and the operation of other cannabis business in Knox County received 7,687 votes in favor of the measure, with 3,939 votes against it. The City of Barbourville recently passed an ordinance banning the sale of cannabis in the city limits. A bill passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2023 legalizing the sale of medical cannabis will go into effect on January 1, 2025.

In contested local races, the top four vote-getters for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors for Knox County were Jim Stewart (7,052 votes), Shirley R. Merida (3,919 votes), Jonathan Wells (3,762 votes) and Dexter Smith (3,360 votes). Charles “Tricky” Willis received 3,151 votes, while Jerrie Mills received 2,419 votes.

In the three-way race for two seats on the Barbourville Independent Schools’ Board of Education, the two receiving the most votes were Jimmy Hinkle (718 votes) and Blair Skidmore (458), edging out incumbent board member Jason Reeves (430 votes).

In the race for Barbourville City Council, where the top six vote-getters establishes the sitting slate of council members, two incumbent members, Corey Chesnut and Jeremy Hicks, did not seek re-election. The three newcomer challengers each won a seat on the council, alongside incumbent council members Wilma Barnes (544 votes), Ronnie Moore (613 votes) and Mike Johnson (510 votes). The new faces on the council will include Jacob Rose (728 votes), Rex Miller (710 votes) and Tyler Dunn (534 votes). Sitting councilman Eddie Joe Smith did not win re-election, receiving 482 votes.

In the race for Corbin Independent Board of Education, with the top three vote-getters winning a term, James David Hannah (2,326 votes), Kimberly Sasser Croley (2,676 votes), and Benjamin Childers (2,105 votes) edged out challengers Jeremiah Goforth (1,114 votes) and Anthony Miller (915 votes).

In the race for Corbin City Commission, where four seats were up for grabs, all four candidates will go on to serve, with Allison Moore (1,520 votes), James Gambrel (1,323 votes), Brandon Seth Shepherd (1,310 votes) and John Baker (1,222 votes) completing the slate.

In local uncontested races, United States Representative for the 5th Congressional District, Harold “Hal” Rogers received 11,127 votes in Knox County; State Senator Robert Stivers received 10,613 votes; Representative Tom O’Dell Smith received 10,832 votes; Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele received 10,647 votes; Circuit Court Clerk Greg Helton received 11,459 votes; Knox Schools District 3 Board Member Jim Miles received 894 votes; Knox Schools District 4 Board Member Tom Ashburn received 1,667 votes; Knox Schools District 5 Board Member Jimmy Hendrickson received 2,328 votes.

For complete results and statewide numbers, see https://www.mountainadvocate.com/pages/view/election-results

 Unofficial tally sheet:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Th1xWRuZXdYj7dIY8y39mFsiAYoTILlm/preview