Woods was appointed to the office in 2016 when Bobby Hopper died, and he also won the May primary for the Democratic party. When he died Monday after reportedly suffering a stroke, it created a vacancy on the ballot.
On Friday morning, Fulton County Clerk Betty Abernathy told West Kentucky Star that the the county's Democratic Party has the authority to fill the vacancy by nominating a replacement, and she expects it to be done very soon. Kentucky law requires a replacement nomination within ten days.
She said the Republican party also has the opportunity to nominate a candidate for sheriff in November, even though they did not have a primary election for the office. She cited KRS 118.105 (4), which says each party may nominate someone if the candidate vacancy occurs in a race with only one party represented. Woods would not have faced anyone from another party, although independent candidate Douglas Akers is already on the November ballot.
Abernathy also said she was informed by County Judge-Executive Jim Martin that he would appoint someone to fill the unexpired term for Sheriff after Woods' funeral, which is Saturday afternoon.
Democratic candidate David Thomas, who finished second in the primary, told West Kentucky Star he has learned he will not be chosen by the party to be on the ballot. He is still investigating his options, and would like to be on the ballot, even if it means filing as a write-in candidate.
However, KRS 118.345 says "no candidate who has been defeated for the nomination for any office in a primary election shall have his name placed on voting machines in the succeeding regular election as a candidate for the same office." The only exception would be if the party chooses that person as their nominee.
Thomas says he's gotten some conflicting answers to his questions, and will try to get confirmation from the Secretary of State or Attorney General early next week.
Anyone except defeated primary candidates can file to run as a write-in candidate by October 26.
On the Net:
KRS 118.105KRS 118.345
KRS 118.305
