Gary Moore

Gary Moore is the longtime incumbent Boone County Judge/Executive, first elected in 1998 after serving on the Boone County Fiscal Court.

Moore is facing a GOP primary challenge from Commissioner Chet Hand.

A lifelong Northern Kentuckian, Moore grew up on his family’s farm in Pendleton County, where he raised tobacco, cattle, and corn. He often credits his father’s time as Pendleton County sheriff for inspiring him to pursue a career in public service.

“It’s an honor to serve as your judge executive, and I do value it, and I enjoy it, and we’re we’re excited to do new things,” Moore said during a Northern Kentucky Tea Party candidate forum in February. ‘Each and every day, my staff often comments, ‘here he comes. I wonder what new ideas he’s got today.’ I’m always loading them up with new projects, and if that ever stops, it probably is time to look at retirement or other things. But that’s not happened yet. We’re not finished yet. There’s more to do.”

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Over nearly three decades as judge/executive, Moore has pursued conservative fiscal management, public safety and infrastructure development. Since his first election, Moore has overseen a 24% reduction in the county property tax rate during his tenure, clean annual audits, zero county debt and Boone County’s top-tier bond rating from Moody’s as evidence of fiscal responsibility.

Regarding public safety, Moore supervised the 2001 merger of the Boone County Police Department into the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, establishing a unified, countywide sheriff’s department. Additionally, he has contributed to expanding public safety services, such as founding Boone County’s school resource officer program and increasing the number of sheriff’s deputies to keep pace with growth.

A central focus of Moore’s administration has been transportation and infrastructure. As judge/executive, Moore has pursued major road projects, including the reconstruction of Turfway Road, the widening of Mt. Zion and Pleasant Valley roads, improvements to KY-18, and new interchanges at Richwood and Hebron. In 2026, he was inducted into the University of Kentucky Transportation Hall of Fame, recognizing his work on regional transportation initiatives.

Moore also attributes the increase in job growth and reduced reliance on residential property taxes in Boone County to strategic economic development, with the transformation of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport into a major cargo hub as a key factor. During his tenure, Amazon Air established its North American superhub on CVG’s campus.

Running for another term, Moore’s campaign slogan is to “keep Boone County great” by managing growth, protecting rural land and continuing infrastructure investments.