By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Kentucky has no provision for replacing a judicial nominee who died the day after this week’s primary election, a state official said.
Danny Alvarez, 43, was the top vote-getter, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s office, for the 9th Division in the Jefferson County District Judge’s race.
Danny Alvarez
He collapsed and died the following day of an apparent heart attack, according to Louisville media reports, leaving behind a wife and three children.
In the four-way race, Alvarez garnered 28,694 votes, Tanisha Ann Hickerson finished second with 22,470, with Karen E. Faulkner 17 votes behind at 22,453. The top two finishers in the non-partisan judicial races then meet in the November general election.
Bradford Queen, spokesman for Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, said since Alvarez died after the election, there is no provision in the law for the second- and third-place finishers to move up, so if the totals are certified as they currently stand, only Hickerson will appear on the ballot.
However, with only 17 votes separating second and third place, Faulkner could seek a re-canvass of the votes.
The deadline to request the re-canvass is Tuesday at 4 p.m. Any re-canvass would take place on May 31 at 9 a.m.
The State Board of Elections will meet Tuesday, June 5, to certify the primary election results.
