1984 United States presidential election in Kentucky

The 1984 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 6, 1984. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1984 United States presidential election. Kentucky voters chose nine electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president of the United States.

1984 United States presidential election in Kentucky

← 1980November 6, 19841988 →
 
NomineeRonald ReaganWalter Mondale
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Home stateCaliforniaMinnesota
Running mateGeorge H. W. BushGeraldine Ferraro
Electoral vote90
Popular vote822,782539,589
Percentage60.04%39.37%


President before election

Ronald Reagan
Republican

Elected President

Ronald Reagan
Republican

Kentucky was won by the Republican ticket of incumbent President Ronald Reagan of California and Vice President George H. W. Bush of Texas by a 20-point margin over Democratic ticket of former Vice President Walter Mondale of Minnesota and his running mate Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York. Ferraro was the first major female candidate for the vice presidency.

The presidential election of 1984 was a very partisan election for Kentucky, with over 99% of the electorate voting either Democratic or Republican, though several other parties did appear on the ballot. Reagan carried 100 of Kentucky's counties; Mondale carried 19, mostly in the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield. One county–Gallatin County–split its two-party vote exactly evenly between the two nominees, with each receiving 1,042 votes.[1]

Reagan became the first Republican to ever carry Carroll County, a highly secessionist[2] rural Bluegrass county that had been the state's only county outside the coalfields to support George McGovern 12 years earlier.[3] Kentucky weighed in for this election as 2 percentage points more Republican than the national average.

Reagan won Kentucky by 20.7%, a landslide margin slightly greater than his national margin, and a dramatic shift with respect to 1980, when Reagan only narrowly carried the state over the Southern Democrat Jimmy Carter by 1.5%. Mondale performed well in the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield, but relatively poorly in other traditionally Democratic areas of the state, such as the Bluegrass, the Jackson Purchase, and the Western Kentucky Coalfield, relative even to previous national landslide losers such as Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and 1956, John Davis in 1924, and James Cox in 1920. In the Western Coalfield, Reagan became only the second Republican (after Nixon in 1972) to carry Henderson County since 1928, and to ever carry Hopkins County. In the Bluegrass, Reagan became the second Republican, again after only Nixon in 1972, ever to carry Owen County, Henry County, Trimble County, Harrison County, and Franklin County, and the second since 1928 (after Nixon in 1972) to carry Shelby County, Bourbon County, Nicholas County, and Bath County. Concomitantly, Reagan became only the second Republican, after Nixon in 1972, to get over 60% of the vote in Kentucky, a feat which would be replicated in 2012, 2016, and 2020.

Results

1984 United States presidential election in Kentucky
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
RepublicanRonald Reagan (incumbent)822,78260.04%9
DemocraticWalter Mondale539,58939.37%0
Socialist Workers PartyMelvin Mason3,1290.23%0
IndependentLyndon LaRouche1,7770.13%0
National UnityJohn B. Anderson1,4790.11%0
Citizen's PartySonia Johnson5990.04%0
American PartyDelmar Dennis4290.03%0
New Alliance PartyDennis Serrette3500.03%0
Communist PartyGus Hall3270.02%0
Totals1,370,461100.0%9

Results by county

CountyRonald Reagan[4]
Republican
Walter Mondale[4]
Democratic
Melvin Mason[4]
Socialist Workers
Lyndon LaRouche[4]
Independent
John B. Anderson[4]
National Unity
Various candidates[4]
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%#%#%#%
Adair4,50070.93%1,81228.56%100.16%60.09%40.06%120.19%2,68842.37%6,344
Allen3,42769.04%1,52130.64%30.06%40.08%30.06%60.12%1,90638.40%4,964
Anderson3,42566.06%1,71733.11%230.44%60.12%80.15%60.12%1,70832.95%5,185
Ballard1,66345.13%2,00254.33%30.08%100.27%30.08%40.11%-339-9.20%3,685
Barren7,71762.86%4,50336.68%160.13%220.18%70.06%120.10%3,21426.18%12,277
Bath2,02052.88%1,78146.62%20.05%70.18%60.16%40.10%2396.26%3,820
Bell7,24955.93%5,49042.36%1631.26%130.10%210.16%250.19%1,75913.57%12,961
Boone12,69071.90%4,85327.50%160.09%320.18%280.16%300.17%7,83744.40%17,649
Bourbon3,83658.54%2,64940.42%350.53%110.17%110.17%110.17%1,18718.12%6,553
Boyd10,92552.98%9,60146.56%150.07%330.16%180.09%290.14%1,3246.42%20,621
Boyle5,67562.53%3,37837.22%80.09%50.06%50.06%50.06%2,29725.31%9,076
Bracken1,81260.89%1,13638.17%100.34%130.44%30.10%20.07%67622.72%2,976
Breathitt2,85545.25%3,43554.45%90.14%20.03%20.03%60.10%-580-9.20%6,309
Breckinridge4,43262.14%2,66937.42%30.04%80.11%60.08%140.20%1,76324.72%7,132
Bullitt9,55665.11%5,00534.10%590.40%290.20%170.12%100.07%4,55131.01%14,676
Butler3,12174.47%1,05525.17%10.02%70.17%30.07%40.10%2,06649.30%4,191
Caldwell3,16255.93%2,42742.93%440.78%110.19%30.05%60.11%73513.00%5,653
Calloway6,44255.94%5,02843.66%110.10%140.12%90.08%110.10%1,41412.28%11,515
Campbell21,47369.99%9,06829.56%190.06%540.18%330.11%320.10%12,40540.43%30,679
Carlisle1,30850.15%1,27748.96%110.42%60.23%40.15%20.08%311.19%2,608
Carroll1,82453.65%1,56446.00%10.03%70.21%10.03%30.09%2607.65%3,400
Carter4,65653.67%3,98545.94%30.03%130.15%70.08%110.13%6717.73%8,675
Casey4,35679.01%1,12220.35%170.31%50.09%70.13%60.11%3,23458.66%5,513
Christian10,70866.06%5,43233.51%210.13%120.07%90.06%270.17%5,27632.55%16,209
Clark6,13062.82%3,59536.84%40.04%110.11%150.15%30.03%2,53525.98%9,758
Clay4,77274.26%1,63425.43%40.06%40.06%80.12%40.06%3,13848.83%6,426
Clinton3,45980.03%83819.39%30.07%50.12%20.05%150.35%2,62160.64%4,322
Crittenden2,16759.16%1,48340.49%20.05%40.11%20.05%50.14%68418.67%3,663
Cumberland2,72977.77%76621.83%40.11%20.06%10.03%70.20%1,96355.94%3,509
Daviess19,49558.92%13,34740.34%1360.41%530.16%290.09%260.08%6,14818.58%33,086
Edmonson3,00171.05%1,20028.41%190.45%10.02%10.02%20.05%1,80142.64%4,224
Elliott60126.20%1,68373.37%40.17%10.04%10.04%40.17%-1,082-47.17%2,294
Estill3,51268.57%1,59331.10%30.06%50.10%40.08%50.10%1,91937.47%5,122
Fayette51,99363.60%28,96135.43%4790.59%720.09%1400.17%1010.12%23,03228.17%81,746
Fleming2,82463.33%1,61636.24%30.07%80.18%50.11%30.07%1,20827.09%4,459
Floyd5,21833.57%10,25966.00%190.12%230.15%70.05%170.11%-5,041-32.43%15,543
Franklin11,05758.12%7,79040.95%1240.65%170.09%190.10%170.09%3,26717.17%19,024
Fulton1,78053.45%1,53446.07%20.06%100.30%10.03%30.09%2467.38%3,330
Gallatin1,04249.78%1,04249.78%40.19%30.14%10.05%10.05%00.00%2,093
Garrard3,28467.21%1,56632.05%260.53%40.08%40.08%20.04%1,71835.16%4,886
Grant2,84061.70%1,68536.61%471.02%180.39%50.11%80.17%1,15525.09%4,603
Graves7,28751.43%6,75947.70%640.45%350.25%100.07%150.11%5283.73%14,170
Grayson5,52471.03%2,20028.29%310.40%90.12%40.05%90.12%3,32442.74%7,777
Green3,21066.35%1,61133.30%70.14%50.10%20.04%30.06%1,59933.05%4,838
Greenup7,45151.52%6,92347.87%250.17%320.22%110.08%200.14%5283.65%14,462
Hancock1,96759.59%1,28738.99%331.00%70.21%30.09%40.12%68020.60%3,301
Hardin14,29368.81%6,32930.47%830.40%210.10%290.14%160.08%7,96438.34%20,771
Harlan6,95947.14%7,66351.91%460.31%260.18%230.16%450.30%-704-4.77%14,762
Harrison3,46758.86%2,40540.83%10.02%60.10%40.07%70.12%1,06218.03%5,890
Hart3,06557.06%2,27842.41%30.06%60.11%40.07%160.30%78714.65%5,372
Henderson7,38951.88%6,79547.71%110.08%240.17%80.06%150.11%5944.17%14,242
Henry2,80254.83%2,27944.60%70.14%90.18%40.08%90.18%52310.23%5,110
Hickman1,38056.63%1,04943.04%10.04%20.08%20.08%30.12%33113.59%2,437
Hopkins9,36857.95%6,74341.71%110.07%100.06%150.09%190.12%2,62516.24%16,166
Jackson3,85687.38%54212.28%80.18%30.07%10.02%30.07%3,31475.10%4,413
Jefferson167,64057.66%122,13342.01%1740.06%3010.10%3140.11%1880.06%45,50715.65%290,750
Jessamine7,08174.10%2,37924.90%620.65%160.17%80.08%100.10%4,70249.20%9,556
Johnson5,22562.58%3,07836.87%120.14%80.10%80.10%180.22%2,14725.71%8,349
Kenton34,30469.66%14,64229.73%320.06%990.20%820.17%860.17%19,66239.93%49,245
Knott1,72827.66%4,48771.81%70.11%50.08%80.13%130.21%-2,759-44.15%6,248
Knox5,73065.87%2,93233.71%40.05%110.13%90.10%130.15%2,79832.16%8,699
LaRue2,87365.30%1,51434.41%10.02%60.14%50.11%10.02%1,35930.89%4,400
Laurel9,62174.41%3,26725.27%120.09%120.09%80.06%90.07%6,35449.14%12,929
Lawrence2,71354.71%2,22344.83%90.18%30.06%10.02%100.20%4909.88%4,959
Lee1,86270.53%76829.09%40.15%30.11%20.08%10.04%1,09441.44%2,640
Leslie3,38575.64%1,07524.02%70.16%20.04%10.02%50.11%2,31051.62%4,475
Letcher4,07346.13%4,70753.31%180.20%120.14%80.09%120.14%-634-7.18%8,830
Lewis3,44569.64%1,48430.00%30.06%70.14%40.08%40.08%1,96139.64%4,947
Lincoln3,99661.27%2,49838.30%70.11%90.14%30.05%90.14%1,49822.97%6,522
Livingston1,86647.96%2,00751.58%30.08%60.15%30.08%60.15%-141-3.62%3,891
Logan4,88958.83%3,34740.28%440.53%120.14%90.11%90.11%1,54218.55%8,310
Lyon96942.97%1,27256.41%70.31%50.22%10.04%10.04%-303-13.44%2,255
Madison11,30963.09%6,50936.31%610.34%100.06%230.13%140.08%4,80026.78%17,926
Magoffin2,34344.22%2,94255.53%30.06%30.06%10.02%60.11%-599-11.31%5,298
Marion3,30553.66%2,83546.03%50.08%10.02%40.06%90.15%4707.63%6,159
Marshall5,15247.19%5,72552.44%20.02%160.15%60.05%160.15%-573-5.25%10,917
Martin3,23868.03%1,47130.90%80.17%60.13%90.19%280.59%1,76737.13%4,760
Mason3,75158.19%2,66341.31%70.11%60.09%110.17%80.12%1,08816.88%6,446
McCracken12,90350.08%12,53548.65%2420.94%200.08%250.10%400.16%3681.43%25,765
McCreary4,02870.58%1,60928.19%280.49%130.23%180.32%110.19%2,41942.39%5,707
McLean1,94250.03%1,91749.38%50.13%80.21%50.13%50.13%250.65%3,882
Meade3,82060.19%2,50339.44%10.02%130.20%40.06%60.09%1,31720.75%6,347
Menifee78544.35%95654.01%191.07%30.17%40.23%30.17%-171-9.66%1,770
Mercer4,59263.88%2,51635.00%630.88%80.11%60.08%40.06%2,07628.88%7,189
Metcalfe2,34959.56%1,57539.93%20.05%100.25%30.08%50.13%77419.63%3,944
Monroe4,76081.47%1,05218.00%80.14%90.15%70.12%70.12%3,70863.47%5,843
Montgomery3,86460.59%2,49039.05%60.09%80.13%60.09%30.05%1,37421.54%6,377
Morgan1,83442.35%2,48157.28%50.12%30.07%30.07%50.12%-647-14.93%4,331
Muhlenberg6,09449.64%6,15750.15%60.05%100.08%40.03%60.05%-63-0.51%12,277
Nelson6,04458.57%4,19940.69%440.43%100.10%160.16%60.06%1,84517.88%10,319
Nicholas1,53557.38%1,10741.38%220.82%50.19%60.22%00.00%42816.00%2,675
Ohio5,11960.82%3,25338.65%70.08%140.17%60.07%180.21%1,86622.17%8,417
Oldham8,11273.81%2,85725.99%30.03%50.05%80.07%60.05%5,25547.82%10,991
Owen1,77852.17%1,61247.30%50.15%30.09%50.15%50.15%1664.87%3,408
Owsley1,46679.20%37520.26%30.16%20.11%20.11%30.16%1,09158.94%1,851
Pendleton2,76763.76%1,52935.23%290.67%40.09%30.07%80.18%1,23828.53%4,340
Perry5,21849.52%5,25849.90%290.28%70.07%80.08%170.16%-40-0.38%10,537
Pike11,86942.68%15,81756.87%390.14%380.14%230.08%260.09%-3,948-14.19%27,812
Powell2,26958.83%1,57540.83%30.08%40.10%10.03%50.13%69418.00%3,857
Pulaski14,43476.40%4,38423.20%100.05%230.12%180.10%240.13%10,05053.20%18,893
Robertson56754.36%46744.77%50.48%20.19%20.19%00.00%1009.59%1,043
Rockcastle4,32879.73%1,08920.06%20.04%30.06%10.02%50.09%3,23959.67%5,428
Rowan3,69857.16%2,74842.47%90.14%50.08%70.11%30.05%95014.69%6,470
Russell4,47675.18%1,44824.32%70.12%80.13%70.12%80.13%3,02850.86%5,954
Scott4,46162.44%2,60636.48%470.66%70.10%90.13%140.20%1,85525.96%7,144
Shelby5,39061.68%3,32638.06%50.06%50.06%80.09%50.06%2,06423.62%8,739
Simpson3,07358.70%2,14040.88%50.10%80.15%50.10%40.08%93317.82%5,235
Spencer1,45661.38%91038.36%10.04%10.04%30.13%10.04%54623.02%2,372
Taylor5,93264.16%3,28635.54%70.08%70.08%20.02%110.12%2,64628.62%9,245
Todd2,36455.23%1,50535.16%982.29%641.50%731.71%1764.11%85920.07%4,280
Trigg2,51256.63%1,90542.94%30.07%100.23%20.05%40.09%60713.69%4,436
Trimble1,38955.78%1,08843.69%30.12%60.24%10.04%30.12%30112.09%2,490
Union2,52444.78%3,09054.82%40.07%100.18%50.09%40.07%-566-10.04%5,637
Warren16,16766.87%7,93732.83%120.05%270.11%140.06%210.09%8,23034.04%24,178
Washington2,80460.24%1,78638.37%501.07%20.04%30.06%100.21%1,01821.87%4,655
Wayne4,44966.00%2,27733.78%30.04%50.07%20.03%50.07%2,17232.22%6,741
Webster2,50444.87%3,04254.52%70.13%150.27%30.05%90.16%-538-9.65%5,580
Whitley7,85168.17%3,57531.04%170.15%280.24%290.25%160.14%4,27637.13%11,516
Wolfe1,25746.68%1,39451.76%240.89%50.19%50.19%80.30%-137-5.08%2,693
Woodford4,74666.73%2,29032.20%490.69%70.10%90.13%110.15%2,45634.53%7,112
Totals822,78260.04%539,58939.37%3,1290.23%1,7770.13%1,4790.11%1,7050.12%283,19320.67%1,370,461

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also

References