Nickell Wins Seat on Kentucky Supreme Court

Paducah's Shea Nickell has won the election for the 1st District's seat on the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Nickell received 71,697 votes, or 57 percent of the vote, topping Whitney Westerfield's 53,119 votes, or 43 percent.

Nickell spoke to West Kentucky Star, expressing his thanks to the people of western Kentucky for the trust that they have placed in him. 

"It's an extreme high honor, but the duties are so important that I do ask the people now that they've given me their trust that they would give me their prayers," Nickell said. 

Nickell has been an attorney for 35 years and has served on the Kentucky Court of Appeals for the last 13 years. He believes his experience was the deciding factor in the race. 

"All that experience, which I brought with me to the Court of Appeals, allowed me to demonstrate at that level the ability to fairly analyze cases and apply the law fairly," he said.

He will represent 24 western Kentucky counties on the court, which seats seven judges.

Nickell commended Westerfield for a well-run campaign, and said, "he was never my enemy, simply my opponent," and he wished the state senator all the best. 

The election was held to fill the unexpired term of Justice Bill Cunningham, who retired on January 31 of this year. Murray attorney David Buckingham was appointed by Governor Matt Bevin to fill the seat until this election. The term expires in 2022.