# Kentucky's 8th Senate district

Kentucky's 8th Senatorial district is one of 38 districts in the Kentucky Senate. Located in the western part of the state, it comprises the counties of Daviess, Hancock, and McLean. Within the district is the economic leading city of Owensboro. It has been represented by Gary Boswell (R–Owensboro) since 2023. As of 2023, the district had a population of 121,354.
From 1966 to 1967, the district was represented by Wendell Ford, who would later be elected governor and U.S. senator from Kentucky.

## Voter registration

On January 1, 2025, the district had 93,005 registered voters, who were registered with the following parties.
| Party | Party | Registration | Registration |
| Party | Party | Voters | % |
| | Republican | 43,274 | 46.53 |
| | Democratic | 40,770 | 43.84 |
| | Independent | 3,628 | 3.90 |
| | Libertarian | 426 | 0.46 |
| | Green | 62 | 0.07 |
| | Constitution | 44 | 0.05 |
| | Socialist Workers | 12 | 0.01 |
| | Reform | 7 | 0.01 |
| | "Other" | 4,782 | 5.14 |
| Total | Total | 93,005 | 100.00 |
| Source: Kentucky State Board of Elections ||||

## Election results from statewide races
### 2014 – 2020

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2014 | Senator | McConnell 55.5 - 41.3% |
| 2015 | Governor | Bevin 54.8 - 42.7% |
| 2015 | Secretary of State | Grimes 51.8 - 48.2% |
| 2015 | Attorney General | Beshear 53.0 - 47.0% |
| 2015 | Auditor of Public Accounts | Harmon 53.9 - 46.1% |
| 2015 | State Treasurer | Ball 57.9 - 42.1% |
| 2015 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Quarles 58.7 - 41.3% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 64.2 - 30.0% |
| 2016 | Senator | Paul 58.8 - 41.2% |
| 2019 | Governor | Bevin 50.9 - 46.7% |
| 2019 | Secretary of State | Adams 53.7 - 46.3% |
| 2019 | Attorney General | Cameron 59.7 - 40.3% |
| 2019 | Auditor of Public Accounts | Harmon 56.4 - 40.0% |
| 2019 | State Treasurer | Ball 59.8 - 40.2% |
| 2019 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Quarles 58.6 - 38.2% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 64.4 - 33.6% |
| 2020 | Senator | McConnell 58.0 - 36.2% |
| 2020 | Amendment 1 | 64.8 - 35.2% |
| 2020 | Amendment 2 | 66.6 - 33.4% |

### 2022 – present

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2022 | Senator | Paul 65.3 - 34.7% |
| 2022 | Amendment 1 | 51.4 - 48.6% |
| 2022 | Amendment 2 | 55.5 - 44.5% |
| 2023 | Governor | Beshear 50.2 - 49.8% |
| 2023 | Secretary of State | Adams 61.0 - 39.0% |
| 2023 | Attorney General | Coleman 60.4 - 39.6% |
| 2023 | Auditor of Public Accounts | Ball 60.8 - 39.2% |
| 2023 | State Treasurer | Metcalf 58.5 - 41.5% |
| 2023 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Shell 62.0 - 38.0% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 66.8 - 31.6% |
| 2024 | Amendment 1 | 63.4 - 36.6% |
| 2024 | Amendment 2 | 62.7 - 37.3% |

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Years | Electoral history | District location |
| Wendell Ford (Owensboro) | Democratic | January 1, 1966 – December 12, 1967 | Elected in 1965. Resigned after being elected Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky. | 1964–1972 |
| Delbert Murphy (Owensboro) | Democratic | December 1967 – January 1, 1991 | Elected to finish Ford's term. Reelected in 1969. Reelected in 1973. Reelected in 1977. Reelected in 1981. Reelected in 1986. Retired. | 1964–1972 |
| Delbert Murphy (Owensboro) | Democratic | December 1967 – January 1, 1991 | Elected to finish Ford's term. Reelected in 1969. Reelected in 1973. Reelected in 1977. Reelected in 1981. Reelected in 1986. Retired. | 1972–1974 |
| Delbert Murphy (Owensboro) | Democratic | December 1967 – January 1, 1991 | Elected to finish Ford's term. Reelected in 1969. Reelected in 1973. Reelected in 1977. Reelected in 1981. Reelected in 1986. Retired. | 1974–1984 |
| Delbert Murphy (Owensboro) | Democratic | December 1967 – January 1, 1991 | Elected to finish Ford's term. Reelected in 1969. Reelected in 1973. Reelected in 1977. Reelected in 1981. Reelected in 1986. Retired. | 1984–1993 Daviess, Hancock, and Ohio (part) Counties. |
| David Boswell (Owensboro) | Democratic | January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2011 | Elected in 1990. Reelected in 1994. Reelected in 1998. Reelected in 2002. Reelected in 2006. Lost reelection. | 1984–1993 Daviess, Hancock, and Ohio (part) Counties. |
| David Boswell (Owensboro) | Democratic | January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2011 | Elected in 1990. Reelected in 1994. Reelected in 1998. Reelected in 2002. Reelected in 2006. Lost reelection. | 1993–1997 |
| David Boswell (Owensboro) | Democratic | January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2011 | Elected in 1990. Reelected in 1994. Reelected in 1998. Reelected in 2002. Reelected in 2006. Lost reelection. | 1997–2003 |
| David Boswell (Owensboro) | Democratic | January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2011 | Elected in 1990. Reelected in 1994. Reelected in 1998. Reelected in 2002. Reelected in 2006. Lost reelection. | 2003–2015 |
| Joseph R. Bowen (Owensboro) | Republican | January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2019 | Elected in 2010. Reelected in 2014. Retired. | 2003–2015 |
| Joseph R. Bowen (Owensboro) | Republican | January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2019 | Elected in 2010. Reelected in 2014. Retired. | 2015–2023 |
| Matt Castlen (Owensboro) | Republican | January 1, 2019 – January 1, 2023 | Elected in 2018. Retired. | 2015–2023 |
| Gary Boswell (Owensboro) | Republican | January 1, 2023 – present | Elected in 2022. | 2023–present |