Elwood Caudill Jr.

Elwood Caudill Jr. is an American government administrator who has served as the Rowan County Clerk in Kentucky since 2019. He defeated incumbent Kim Davis in the 2018 general election, succeeding her after she gained national attention for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Early life and career

Caudill worked in the Rowan County Property Valuation Office for over 20 years before being elected County Clerk. During his tenure, he specialized in measuring, sketching, and assessment of real property including residential, commercial, farm and tangible property, as well as mapping and property transfers using ArcGIS.

Elections

2014 Democratic primary

Caudill first ran for Rowan County Clerk in the 2014 Democratic primary against Kim Davis. He lost by only 23 votes. Incumbent

2018 elections

Democratic primary

In May 2018, Caudill won the Democratic primary to challenge Kim Davis in the general election.

General election

In the November 2018 general election, held during the U.S. midterm elections, Caudill defeated incumbent Kim Davis with 4,210 votes (54%) to Davis's 3,566 votes (46%), a margin of 644 votes.

As County Clerk, Caudill's office handles vehicle registration, delinquent tax sales, elections, and record keeping for Rowan County. He has demonstrated a commitment to government administration with experience spanning multiple decades.

Personal life

Caudill is married to Trina Caudill and resides in Morehead, Kentucky. He is the son of Elwood R. Caudill (1941–2022), who operated Caudill's Scrap Yard in Rowan County for more than 30 years.