Chet Thomas Hand, a Republican, is running for Boone County Judge/Executive in the Nov. 3 general election. Hand won the Republican primary on May 19, defeating incumbent Gary Moore, as LINK nky reported.

Timothy D. Johnson, an Independent, is also on the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

No Democratic candidate filed for the seat.

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican
  • Residence: Walton, Kentucky, where he is a small farmer, according to his campaign website
  • Family: Husband and father of seven children, according to his campaign website
  • Education: Master of business administration, Thomas More University, according to his BallotReady profile
  • Moved to Boone County: 2016, according to his campaign website

Experience and public service

Hand has served as a Boone County commissioner since 2022, according to LINK nky. He said on his campaign website that he previously served as chairman of the Boone County Republican Party starting in 2021.

Hand said he works as corporate director of business resiliency at a global retailer he did not name. He said on his campaign website that he previously served as a fire captain and medic in Alaska.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Hand's responses on his campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire.

Taxes and budget: Hand said he supports lower taxes, eliminating wasteful spending and implementing zero-based budgeting. "People know best how to spend their hard-earned income," Hand said on his BallotReady questionnaire. "They don't need the government taking it to spend on frivolous initiatives." He said he favors full transparency, regular audits and funding only critical elements of government.

Housing and property rights: Hand said Boone County's planning and zoning commission fundamentally misunderstands zoning laws and acts as "a rubber stamp for large, out-of-state corporate investors looking to buy up Boone County real estate." He said he supports limited government regulation while protecting residents' property rights.

Healthcare: Hand said he opposes a regional health department, stating that local control is in the best interest of Boone County residents.

Infrastructure: Hand said he supports strategic planning that protects infrastructure, preserves community character and puts residents first in development decisions.

Other positions: Hand described himself as pro-life and pro-Second Amendment on his BallotReady questionnaire.

Endorsements

Hand claimed the following endorsements on his X account:

  • Republican Party of Kentucky 31st District Leadership
  • Boone County Republican Party Leadership

Candidate positions and biographical details attributed to Hand's campaign website or BallotReady questionnaire reflect the candidate's own statements.

The general election is Nov. 3.