Incumbent Calloway County Judge-Executive Kenny Imes won the Republican primary for judge-executive, in unofficial results, by a wide margin of almost 80% of the total vote on Tuesday, leaving a virtual open path to being reelected to a second term.
Imes faced two challengers in the GOP primary – Mark Fredrick and Joel Stansberry. The two combined only received 371 votes compared to 1,362 votes for Imes. The primary election had a very low turnout, with only about 14% of registered Republican voters in the county turning out for the election.
Imes now advances to the general election uncontested, with no Democratic candidate having filed to run for the seat. The 1,733 people who cast a ballot in the Republican judge-executive primary represent a little over 5% of the county’s total registered voters.
In an interview, Imes said the victory was “heartwarming” but that he was a little bit disappointed that more voters didn’t come to the polls. He said having no opposition in the upcoming November election would give him more time to set his agenda for the next four-year term.
“Keeping Murray and Calloway County and its friendly attitude and people working together, people with a common goal, common focus – that’s what I consider my job to be,” Imes said.
Imes said working on infrastructure, such as rural broadband in the county and maintaining roads, would be continuing goals in the years ahead. He said once he decides to leave elected office, he would want to be known for making the county a “better place” that people enjoy living in.
