# Kelly Thompson (judge)

Kelly David Thompson Jr. (born 1947 or 1948) is an American lawyer from Kentucky who has served as a justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court since 2023. He was previously a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals from 2007 to 2023.

## Education

Thompson graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts and a teaching certificate. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1972.

## Career

After graduating law school, from 1972 to 1973 he was chief trial counsel for the Kentucky Department of Highways in Hardin County and from 1973 to 1974, he served as a law clerk for the Kentucky Court of Appeals. From 1974 to 2006 he was a lawyer in the Bowling Green area. He was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals in 2006.

### Kentucky Supreme Court

On November 8, 2022, Thompson was elected as a justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, defeating his challenger, healthcare lawyer Shawn Marie Alcott. He replaced retiring Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr.

## Electoral history
### 1983

1983 Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd district, 1st division election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | John D. Miller | 30,823 | 59.7 |
| | Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 20,791 | 40.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 51,614 | 100.0 |

### 1995

1995 Bowling Green City Commission special election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | Dianne B. Howerton | 4,533 | 48.1 |
| | Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 4,375 | 46.4 |
| | Nonpartisan | Joe Stark Gerard | 522 | 5.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,430 | 100.0 |

### 1996

Primary election results (vote for 4) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Nonpartisan | Joe W. Denning | 2,308 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Jim Breece | 2,263 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Dianne B. Howerton | 2,212 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Johnny Oldham | 2,176 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 2,052 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Larry J. Pack | 1,855 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Robbie Bond | 1,587 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Jim McDaniels | 1,345 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Bob Welch | 1,236 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Benjamin Craig Long | 722 | N/A |
1996 Bowling Green City Commission election (vote for 4) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Nonpartisan | Dianne B. Howerton | 7,269 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Jim Breece | 6,432 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Johnny Oldham | 6,154 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Joe W. Denning | 6,136 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 5,367 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Larry J. Pack | 5,331 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Robbie Bond | 4,108 | N/A |

### 2003

2003 Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd district, 2nd division special election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | John D. Minton Jr. | 54,222 | 55.2 |
| | Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 43,954 | 44.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 98,176 | 100.0 |

### 2006

2006 Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd district, 2nd division election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 68,636 | 58.3 |
| | Nonpartisan | Dwight T. Lovan | 49,023 | 41.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 117,659 | 100.0 |

### 2014

2014 Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd district, 2nd division election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 96,420 | 70.0 |
| | Nonpartisan | Mark H. Flener | 41,343 | 30.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 137,763 | 100.0 |

### 2022

2022 Kentucky Supreme Court 2nd district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | Kelly Thompson | 81,761 | 62.5 |
| | Nonpartisan | Shawn Marie Alcott | 49,119 | 37.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 130,880 | 100.0 |