The 2000 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 7, 2000, as part of the 2000 United States presidential election, which included elections in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Governor of Texas George W. Bush won the state with 56.50% of the vote over Vice President Al Gore, who won 41.37% of the vote. Bush dominated in rural Kentucky, particularly the Pennyroyal Plateau, and won five of the state's six congressional districts. Gore only won the Louisville-based 3rd congressional district, though he also performed well in parts of the Eastern Coalfield.
As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last election in which Boyd County, Muhlenberg County, Harlan County, Perry County, Letcher County, Ballard County, and Fulton County have voted for the Democratic candidate. It also marked the first ever election in which Wolfe County and Morgan County in the Eastern Coalfield voted for a Republican. This election marked the state's shift from a swing state to a safely Republican state, which would be further cemented by its vote for John McCain in 2008.
Kentucky was one of nine states to vote for Bill Clinton in both 1992 and 1996 that Gore lost. It was also the only state to back Clinton in 1996 that Gore lost by a double digit margin.
Bush became the first Republican to win the White House without carrying Jefferson County since Theodore Roosevelt in 1904.
Primary elections
- 2000 Kentucky Democratic presidential primary
General election
Results
By county
- Bath (Largest city: Owingsville)
- Bell (Largest city: Middlesboro)
- Bourbon (Largest city: Paris)
- Caldwell (Largest city: Princeton)
- Calloway (Largest city: Murray)
- Carlisle (Largest city: Bardwell)
- Carroll (Largest city: Carrollton)
- Carter (Largest city: Grayson)
- Clark (Largest city: Winchester)
- Fayette (Largest city: Lexington)
- Gallatin (Largest city: Warsaw)
- Graves (Largest city: Mayfield)
- Greenup (Largest city: Flatwoods)
- Hancock (Largest city: Hawesville)
- Harrison (Largest city: Cynthiana)
- Henry (Largest city: Eminence)
- Hickman (Largest city: Clinton)
- Hopkins (Largest city: Madisonville)
- Johnson (Largest city: Paintsville)
- Lawrence (Largest city: Louisa)
- Livingston (Largest city: Salem)
- Logan (Largest city: Russellville)
- Lyon (Largest city: Eddyville)
- Magoffin (Largest city: Salyersville)
- Marion (Largest city: Lebanon)
- Marshall (Largest city: Benton)
- Martin (Largest city: Inez)
- McCracken (Largest city: Paducah)
- McLean (Largest city: Livermore)
- Meade (Largest city: Brandenburg)
- Menifee (Largest city: Frenchburg)
- Montgomery (Largest city: Mount Sterling)
- Morgan (Largest city: West Liberty)
- Nelson (Largest city: Bardstown)
- Nicholas (Largest city: Carlisle)
- Ohio (Largest city: Beaver Dam)
- Powell (Largest city: Stanton)
- Rowan (Largest city: Morehead)
- Simpson (Largest city: Franklin)
- Trigg (Largest city: Cadiz)
- Trimble (Largest city: Bedford)
- Union (Largest city: Morganfield)
- Webster (Largest city: Providence)
- Wolfe (Largest city: Campton)
By congressional district
Bush won five of the state's six congressional districts. Each candidate won a district held by the other party.
Electors
Technically the voters of Kentucky cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Kentucky is allocated 8 electors because it has 6 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 8 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 8 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 18, 2000 to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All were pledged to and voted for George W. Bush and Dick Cheney:
- George S. Beard
- William S. Farish Jr
- Robert B. Fearing
- Connie S. Hayes
- G. Richard Noss Jr.
- A. Douglas Reece
- Michael A. Shea
- Larry Joe Walden