Stephen Vaughn Carney for Washington County Fiscal Court

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to give a sincere "Thank You" for the multitude of calls, prayers, encouragement, and support from all over the state over the last 365 days on the campaign trail. Fortunately, the hard work, long miles, and late nights paid off, and I look forward to serving the citizens of Washington County as your Fourth District Magistrate!

Over the last year, I have placed an emphasis on working toward a better future for Washington County. My commitment to you is to work to fullfill this mission, not only every time I sit in this chair, but every single day that I am fortunate to call myself a public servant.

Working toward making our community a better home for our children and grandchildren is not a one person task. There is something that everyone can do. Support local businesses and entrepreneurs, get involved with our many civic organizations and service projects, and make your voice heard by those in elected office. Together, we can make Washington County a place that everyone can be proud to call home.

Many thanks, for placing your trust in me to serve as Washington County's Fourth District Magistrate.

Back to when it all started:

I filed to run for office on November 8, 2021, exactly one year from election day. Since then, I've knocked on countless doors, placed numerous signs, spoken at several candidate forums and events, and given out no telling how many of my signature burgundy and white ink pens (I'm a practical guy; if I'm going to give you something to remember me by, I want it to be something that you can use!!).

I've shared countless times my vision for Washington County. So many times I've been met with enthusiasm to see young leaders stepping up to work toward a better future for our community.

My reasons for running for office today are just the same as they were 365 days ago. I believe in the great potential that is here in Washington County. I want to see Washington County be a community that everyone can be proud to call home, and a legacy that we can be proud of for the next generation.

I believe that we can make this vision a reality- but in order to do that we must have innovative, visionary leaders in every single elective office. Innovation and vision are what I have brought to the table in everything that I do, and I pledge to bring the same to the Washington County Fiscal Court.

Vote STEPHEN VAUGHN CARNEY for Washington County District 4 Magistrate

Early voting begins TODAY in Washington County!

Elect STEPHEN VAUGHN CARNEY for Washington County Magistrate District 4!

Who is Stephen Vaughn Carney?
A voice for the future of Washington County

I am proud to be a product of Washington County. Upon graduation from the University of Kentucky in 2017, I was proud to come back to Washington County to farm and start my own real estate and auction company. This decision was simple, for two very big reasons: I wanted to invest and be a part of the community that had invested so much in me, and because I believed in the great potential that Washington County has to offer for young entrepreneurs and innovators.

Sadly, this has not been the case for many young people. Each year, we witness so many bright young people leaving Washington County, and not coming back. This leads me to ask many questions about our future:

-Who will be the next generation of small business owners on Main Street?
-Who will be here to take advantage of the opportunities that are coming our way?
-Who will be the next generation of educators, healthcare professionals, and first responders?
-Who will be the next generation of volunteers and civic organizations that do so much good for our community?
-Who will be the next generation of local Government, who are not only charged with bringing opportunity, but also tasked with setting tax rates and allocating taxpayer dollars?

Make no mistake; this election is about the future of Washington County. As the youngest candidate in any race this fall, I'm running to ensure that the future of Washington County is represented on the ballot.

It is my vision for Washington County to see young people coming back, not only to live in Washington County, but to love Washington County. I want to see young entrepreneurs chasing dreams and starting small businesses on Main Street, young volunteers getting involved and giving back through our local organizations, and young leaders stepping up to get involved in local government.

What will I bring to the Washington County Fiscal Court?

I will bring to the table my youthful energy and drive for improvement that is needed to engage the next generation of Washington County and make this a community that our young people will be proud to come home to. Win or lose, it is my sincere hope that my candidacy will be an encouragement for our young people here; that they do have a voice in their government, and that the time is now to get involved, taking ownership of their community and work toward making Washington County a community that everyone will be proud to call home, and a legacy that we can be proud of for the next generation.

Elect STEPHEN VAUGHN CARNEY for Washington County Magistrate, District 4.

Who is Stephen Vaughn Carney?
Third Generation Small Business Owner

My grandparents, J. Vaughn and Lillian Carney, were the proud owners of C&L Florist in Springfield. For many years, C&L was known as the "Go-To Place" in Washington County for celebrating weddings, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, and all manner of special occasions. Vaughn ran his business on a simple principle- sell quality, treat the customer right, and they'll keep coming back. This principal served him well, as although C&L did have local competitors, Vaughn never resorted to cutthroat, underhanded practices to gain the upper hand. He simply did what he knew best, served his customers, outlasted each of his competitors.

After retiring from the Department of Agriculture in 2005, my Father, Larry Vaughn Carney, decided to take up breeding pigeons as his retirement hobby. To offset the cost of feed, he put his knowledge of the service business to use and founded White Flight Dove Farm, a full-service pigeon and dove leasing company that bred and trained white homing pigeons for release at weddings and funerals as well as white ringneck doves for display during the ceremony and reception, in addition to a wide selection of display and release cages to choose from. Larry and Carol traveled all over the state with this venture, and we're even featured in local parades, on TV, and even at the groundbreaking for a local church until a downtown in the wedding service industry resulting from the 2008 financial crisis made serving this business no longer feasible.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky in 2017, I came back to Washington County to get to work on starting a business of my own. In 2019, I started Carney Land Brokers, LLC , a full service real estate and auction company specializing in marketing farms, land, and homes, with an emphasis on agricultural properties. While marketing is only a portion of what I do, I also travel the state assisting beginning and growing agricultural producers in evaluating land to determine feasibility based on each client's unique interests, needs, and vision for their operation as well as help them through the steps of the complex process of buying land. In January 2021, Carney Land Brokers moved into it's current location on Commercial Avenue in Springfield.

What will I bring to the Washington County Fiscal Court: I know exactly the value that small businesses bring to our community as well as the challenges that each of them face. My commitment is to stand behind each of them as we look to bring new businesses to Main Street as well as grow the thriving number of cottage businesses here in Washington County.

Vote STEPHEN VAUGHN CARNEY for Washington County Magistrate, District 4

Who is Stephen Vaughn Carney?
A Full-Time Farmer

I've been involved in the management and operation of my family's beef cattle farm on a full-time basis since coming home from college in 2017. A cow/calf operation, we manage cattle and hay on owned as well as leased land all across Washington County. Recognizing the potential of adding value to our cattle, I take pride in managing the backgrounding side of the farm, in which our home-raised calves are managed on feed to prepare them for sale as feedlot-ready yearlings or retention as replacement heifers. At the sale barn, our cattle are known as a mark of quality.

Life on the farm brings with it a myriad of unique challenges. Weather, finances, markets, machinery problems, herd health, and policy are all daily challenges that a farmer has to juggle. I believe in facing challenges head-on. Having a growth mindset, I'm constantly looking for opportunities to make improvements on the farm- how do we make things more effective, more efficient, or provide a better experience for everyone involved. For this reason, I stay up to date on new opportunities that are available, such as introducing new genetics, machinery upgrades, facility updates, and changes to overall business practices. All of these have significantly improved the efficiency and productivity of the farm over the last 5 years.

What will I bring to the Fiscal Court?
Just like on the farm, I won't be afraid to face the difficult questions facing Washington County head-on. Having a growth mindset, I will always be in search of room for improvement to make Washington County more effective, more efficient, or produce a better experience for everyone involved. I'll also always be on the lookout for new opportunities that are in the pipeline for Washington County, as well as look for unique, innovative approaches to the challenges coming our way.

Vote STEPHEN VAUGHN CARNEY for Washington County Magistrate, District 4

Sparks of creativity! Putting in some volunteer work tonight helping the award-winning Washington County Marching Commanders get their field props ready for the 2022 marching band season! This year's show is titled "Refuse to Shine". Come see these talented Washington County citizens under the Friday night lights!

I had to go to Frankfort today on business and decided to stop by the Capitol of our great Commonwealth. A select few that know me best know that the Capitol is my favorite place in the entire state. Civic leadership is a calling that was discovered very early on in life, and being given the opportunity to serve as a day page in both houses of the legislature lit a fire in me that burns to this day. My passion for being involved is simple- the communities that we build for our neighbors, and the future that we leave to our children is shaped by the decisions made at each level of government; from City Council to Capitol Hill. Elections matter, and who we elect matters- as our generation will be judged 100 years on by the legacy left by our leaders. It is my sincerest desire to use my influence in any position I may find myself in to make a difference in the lives of others, and to play a small role in building a legacy that I can be proud of leaving.

I would like to extend from the bottom of my heart deepest gratitude to my many friends, neighbors, and supporters from all over Washington County and Kentucky who have reached out, offered encouragement, given up prayers, displayed yard signs, engaged their friends and neighbors, and voted in the primary election to serve Washington County as 4th District Magistrate. I am incredibly proud to say that all of our hard work paid off, and I will be advancing to the general election in November! I look forward to the opportunity to continue the work to make Washington County a community that everyone can be proud to call home!

It's May 17th and the polls are OPEN for the primary election! Over the last 6 months, I have thoroughly enjoyed being able talk to people from all corners of Washington County to share my vision for the future of our community and what I would bring to the table as your voice on Fiscal Court. VOTE Stephen Vaughn Carney to be a voice for the future of Washington County!

Early voting begins TODAY from 8:30 to 4:30 at the Historic 1816 Courthouse in Springfield! Get out there and make your voice heard; elect Stephen Vaughn Carney to be a voice for the future of Washington County

Signs are in!
I look forward to getting to meet the citizens of Washington County's 4th District to share my vision for the future of Washington County and hear what YOU want in your county government.

About Stephen Carney

I am a farmer, third generation small business owner, and proudly running to represent Washington County's 4th District as your Magistrate.

I am running this campaign to represent not only the 4th District, but to bring about a bright future for all of Washington County- from Manton to Mackville and from Maud to Pottsville.

I look forward to sharing more of my vision for the future of Washington County in the coming weeks and months, and humbly ask for your support in the upcoming primary and general election.