2026 General Election County and State Recap

The 2026 General Election is now in the rearview mirror. Here are more detailed numbers about how the results were determined. In Jackson County, a total of 3,793 votes were cast. 2,890 of those were cast on Election Day with 197 arriving as Mail-In Ballots. 706 votes occurred during the 6-day excused voting period (35 votes) and the 3-day unexcused voting period (671 votes). A total of 1,124 Jackson County voters voted for a straight Republican Party ticket while 162 residents voted for a straight Democratic Party ticket.

Interestingly, 13 voters chose to vote a straight Kentucky Party ticket. The winners within Jackson County were announced in the Jackson County Sun the day after the Election. The Constitutional Amendment 1, which would limit a sitting Governor’s authority to issue pardon during a period prior to an election was approved by a vote of 2,217 to 550.

Kentucky Election Analysis
Statewide turnout. Preliminary estimates indicate that about 1.435 million ballots were cast in Kentucky, equal to 41.97% of the voting-eligible population. That was about 67,550 fewer ballots than in the 2022 general election—a decline of roughly 4.5%—and the estimated turnout rate was 2.83 percentage points lower than the 44.8% reported for 2022. Because the 2026 canvass and certification process was still underway, these figures should be treated as preliminary.

Jackson County accounted for 3,793 ballots in the statewide total, and its straight-ticket figures were strongly Republican. Across Kentucky, Republicans continued to win most major contests, while Democrats made targeted gains in several legislative districts.

House: Democrats captured seven Republican-held districts, while Republicans gained one Democratic-held seat. With one close contest in District 36 still unresolved, the net Democratic gain in called races stood at six seats. The Republican caucus nevertheless remained well above the 67 seats needed for a two-thirds supermajority.

Senate: Democrats flipped Districts 6 and 36, moving the chamber from 32–6 Republican to 30–8 Republican. Republicans therefore retained both control and a supermajority, since 26 seats are sufficient for two-thirds of the 38-member Senate.

Bottom line: The 2026 election narrowed Republican margins in Frankfort but did not change control of either chamber. The clearest shift was geographic rather than statewide: Democratic gains were concentrated in competitive districts around Louisville and nearby suburban areas, while Republicans continued to dominate most of rural Kentucky.

The result gives Democrats a larger minority voice, but Republicans still have the numbers to set the legislative agenda and override gubernatorial vetoes without Democratic votes.
Figures reflect reporting available November 6, 2026, and may change after certification or recounts.