Former Secretary Of State Davis Dies At 88

By Gabe Bullard

Published December 16, 2009 at 11:43 PM EST

From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh.Former Kentucky Secretary of State Drex Davis has died. He was 88.Back when Democrats were in firm control of state government, Drex Davis was known for his ability to hop between the offices of State Treasurer and Secretary of State.Between 1971 and 1987, Davis served in one office or the other, without interruption. In 24 years of running for political office, he lost only once – a 1967 primary race for Secretary of State.The Shelby County native loved to collect political paraphernalia and his collection of presidential and Kentucky campaign buttons dates back to 1896. A few years ago, Davis donated the collection to the Kentucky Historical Society.Among the innovative ideas Davis brought to state government was centralization of election night returns in the Secretary of State’s office.

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