Kentucky's thirty-first state senate district is represented by Republican Senator Phillip Wheeler.

Kentucky state senators represent an average of 114,194 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 106,362 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Kentucky State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Kentucky legislators assume office the first day of January after their election.

Qualifications

To be eligible to serve in the Kentucky State Senate a candidate must be:

• At least 30 years of age at the time of the election
• A citizen of Kentucky
• A resident in the state 6 years preceding the election
• A resident in the district for the last year

Salaries

Pensions

Legislative pensions in Kentucky are equal to 2.75% to 5% of the salary multiplied by the number of years served, while regular state pensions equal 1.1% to 2.5% of salary multiplied by years served. Starting in 2005, retiring legislators holding full-time jobs with the state could base their legislative pension on this higher salary, rather than their actual legislative salary.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Governor must call for an election if the General Assembly is not in session. The Senate President must call for an election if lawmakers are in session. All nominating deadlines for special elections are 49 days before the election.

2016 pivot county

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for May 19, 2020. The filing deadline is January 10, 2020.

2019

A special election for District 31 of the Kentucky State Senate was called for March 5, 2019. The candidate filing deadline was January 15, 2019.

The seat became vacant when Ray Jones (D) resigned in January 2019 after becoming the Pike County Judge-Executive.

2016

Elections for the Kentucky State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 17, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was January 26, 2016.

Incumbent Ray Jones ran unopposed in the Kentucky State Senate District 31 general election.

Kentucky State Senate District 31, General Election, 2016

Incumbent Ray Jones defeated Glenn Martin Hammond in the Kentucky State Senate District 31 Democratic primary.

Kentucky State Senate District 31, Democratic Primary, 2016

2012

Elections for the office of Kentucky State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 22, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2012. Incumbent Ray Jones (D) was unopposed in both the general election and Democratic primary.

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Kentucky State Senate District 31 raised a total of $2,603,867. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $216,989 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Kentucky State Senate District 31