On Nov. 2, the people of Kentucky elected Republican Matt Bevin as the governor-elect.

At press time, Bevin took 52.5 percent of the vote, which translates to 511,771 votes, and Democrat Jack Conway received 43.8 percent of the vote, or 426,827 votes. Independent candidate Drew Curtis received 3.7 percent of the vote with 35,627 votes according to The Courier-Journal. 

In Warren County, 55.2 percent of voters cast their ballot for Bevin, 41.6 percent for Conway and 3.2 percent for Curtis.

Republican Jenean Hampton is the lieutenant governor-elect. Democrat Alison Grimes was re-elected as Secretary of State, and Democrat Andy Beshear was elected as Attorney General. Republican Allison Ball was elected State Treasurer, Republican Mike Harmon was elected State Auditor and Republican Ryan Quarles was elected as the Commissioner of Agriculture.

Those who attended the polls on election day made up an array of young, old, Republican and Democratic voters.

Kaylen Delph, 18, of Bowling Green, said this election was her first time voting and reasoned that if she voted, she would be able to complain later if the election didn’t turn out as she would have hoped.

“It was my first time voting, and I figured if I had a reason to complain later, I at least would be able to do it with good reason because I did have a voice,” she said.

Delph is affiliated with the Republican Party but said she didn’t vote straight Republican as she considers herself to be more of an independent. She said she voted for Conway.

“I voted for Conway because between him and Bevin, I would rather have somebody like Conway because Bevin reminds me too much of Trump,” Delph said.

Cole McDowell, Bardstown senior, is a registered Democrat and said he voted for Conway because he believed Conway would do the best job of continuing the legacy of Governor Steve Beshear — especially in regards to the Affordable Care Act.

“I think Steve Beshear has one great work, especially the biggest issue with respect to Obama Care [Affordable Care Act]. I know Matt Bevin wants to completely uproot it,” he said.

McDowell said voting is a fundamental part of our civic duty and is also rooted in historical importance.

“I think that a lot of people over the course of history have given their lives for every citizen to have the right to vote, and I think that it’s our duty to our fellow citizens and ancestors to exercise that right,” he said.

According to the Kentucky Board of Elections, turnout for the Kentucky general election was 30.68 percent.

Joe Durbin, 84, of Bowling Green shared similar sentiments with McDowell in regards of the importance of voting.

“I always vote,” he said. “It’s important for our country. It’s a right that we should vote.”

Durbin said he served in the military for 30 years and always voted absentee during that time.

He said to improve voter turnout, sending people to another country where harm may come from voting will change people’s minds.

“People actually die to vote in a lot of the third-world countries,” Durbin said. “I don’t know what’s the matter; people need to be waking up to the fact that it’s their responsibility to vote. No reason for them not to.”