Sannie Overly

Sannie Louise Overly (born July 2, 1966) is an American lawyer, engineer, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Overly served in the Kentucky House of Representatives, representing Kentucky's 72nd House district. She served as House Majority Caucus Chair from 2013 to 2017, and is the first woman to serve in a leadership role in the Kentucky House. She was the Democratic Party nominee for lieutenant governor of Kentucky in 2015, and was elected chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party in 2016.

Sannie Overly
Chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party
In office February 2, 2016 – November 11, 2017
Preceded by	Patrick Hughes
Succeeded by	Ben Self
Majority Caucus Chair of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office January 8, 2013 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Robert Damron
Succeeded by	David Meade
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from the 72nd district
In office January 14, 2008 – January 1, 2019
Preceded by	Carolyn Belcher
Succeeded by	Matthew Koch
Personal details
Born	Sannie Louise Overly (1966-07-02) July 2, 1966 (age 59) Millersburg, Kentucky, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Michael Kalinyak
Children	2
Education	University of Kentucky (BS) University of Louisville (JD)
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Early life and education

Overly was born in Millersburg, Kentucky, and graduated from Bourbon County High School.^[1] Overly graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1989, and the University of Louisville School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 1993.^[2]

Career

Overly served as president of the Bourbon County Bar Association and of the Paris–Bourbon County Historic Society.^[3] She worked as an engineer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.^[4]

Overly ran in a special election to the Kentucky House of Representatives to succeed Carolyn Belcher as representative of the 72nd district. She won the election on January 8, 2008, and was sworn in on January 11.^[3] In 2009, Greg Stumbo, Speaker of the Kentucky House, appointed Overly to chair the Budget Review Subcommittee, which has oversight over the state's roads.^[5] She became the first woman to chair the budget subcommittee.^[4] At the start of the 2013 session, Overly was elected caucus chair by her Democratic House colleagues, who chose her over incumbent chair Robert Damron, making her the first woman to hold a leadership position in the Kentucky House.^[4][6] She is the last Democrat to hold this office since the Republican Party took the majority in 2017.

Overly had considered running in the 2014 election against Republican Andy Barr to represent Kentucky's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.^[7] However, she instead ran for lieutenant governor of Kentucky on a ticket with Jack Conway in the 2015 gubernatorial election.^[8] Conway and Overly lost the election to Matt Bevin and his running mate, Jenean Hampton.

In 2016, Overly was elected as the chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party.^[9] She opted not to seek reelection to the Kentucky House in 2018.^[10]

Personal life

Overly and her husband, Michael Kalinyak, live in Paris, Kentucky, and have two children.^[3][11] Sannie Overly grew up on a farm in Millersburg, Kentucky.^[1] She is involved in local cooperatives in her District. Overly is Friends of the Paris-Bourbon Co Library. Bourbon Co Alumni Assoc. UK Alumni Assoc. Paris-Bourbon Co Chamber of Commerce. Bourbon Co Homemakers. DAR, Jemima Johnson Chapter. Bluegrass Conservancy.^[12]