A week after Bell County voters cast their ballots, the results of the primary election are finally complete. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many voters cast their ballots by mail, and those ballots were accepted through Saturday, June 27, according to Bell County Clerk Debbie Gambrel.

Tuesday afternoon, Gambrel’s office released the final tallies from the primary election, and the results held with the preliminary numbers, which were released following Election Day. Voter turnout was not quite as high as expected, as 20.84 percent (4,356) of Bell County’s 20,903 registered voters cast a ballot.

One of the most interesting local topics was the issue of the city of Middlesboro allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages. Voters faced the question, “Are you in favor of the sale of alcoholic beverages in Middlesboro, Bell County, Kentucky?”

There are nearly 8,000 registered voters in the city, and 1,868 of them voted on the issue, with the final results being 1,215 in favor of the sale of alcohol, while 653 were opposed. When Middlesboro went “moist” in September 2015 is any indication, the race could be a close one. That election ended in a count of 1,298 voters in favor of the moist status, and 1,179 voters against it, with moist winning by 119 votes.

 

U.S. Senate (Republican)


In the race for U.S. Senate on the Republican ticket, incumbent Mitch McConnell was the leader with 2,348 votes in Bell County. Other candidates and their totals were C. Wesley Morgan (172), Naren James (47), Louis Grider (45), Kenneth Lowndes (43), Wendell K. Crow (31), Paul John Frangedakis (28), and Nicholas Alsager (22).

 

U.S. Senate (Democrat)


On the Democratic ticket, local voters cast 737 votes for Amy McGrath. She was followed by Charles Booker (320), Mike Broihier (65), Andrew J. Maynard (41), Maggie Jo Hilliard (40), Bennie J. Smith (36), Mary Ann Tobin (38), Eric Rothmuller (12), John R. Sharpensteen (10), and Jimmy C. Ausbrooks (6).

 

U.S. Representative, 5th Congressional District


Incumbent Harold “Hal” Rogers received 2,586 votes in Bell County in the race for his seat, while challenger Gerardo Serrano collected 209 votes.

 

U.S. President (Republican)


Republican incumbent, President Donald Trump, was the lone candidate on his party’s ticket, but voters did have the option to select “uncommitted.” Trump received 2,610 votes, while 218 voters selected the uncommitted option.

 

U.S. President (Democrat)

There were several Democratic candidates, and Joe Biden received more Bell County votes than any other with 797. The uncommitted option received 243 local votes. Others in the race were Bernie Sanders (137), Elizabeth Warren (32), Michael Bloomberg (24), Michael Bennet (17), Pete Buttigieg (17), Andrew Yang (16), John K. Delaney (11), Amy Klobuchar (11), Tom Steyer (11), Tulsi Gabbard (10), and Deval Patrick (3).