Governor Andy Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams announced a bipartisan agreement on how Kentucky’s elections will be conducted for the November general election. Four major points were addressed by the two Friday afternoon at the Capitol Rotunda. They involved absentee voting, early voting, election day voting, and voter identification.
Beshear, a Democrat, lauded the bipartisan plan to allow Kentuckians to vote in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.
click to download audioAdams, a Republican, says voting in-person while trying to stay safe and healthy was the top priority of the plan.
click to download audioUnder the plan, Kentuckians will be allowed to again request an absentee ballot by mail. An online portal will launch next week where voters can request a ballot by mail. The deadline to request a ballot through the portal is October 9, which gives county clerks a better chance to ensure voters receive them.
Mail ballots must be postmarked by election day and must be received by November 6. Drop boxes can also be made available in counties for people to return them in person.
Early voting will also make a return starting October 13 and be made available every day and for four hours on Saturdays up to election day. Beshear said this will help in reducing the number of polling places in counties and keep polling workers from being at risk to catch the virus.
click to download audioEach county will also have one location called a ‘supercenter’ where people can vote regardless of what precinct they live in. Adams said this segment of the primary election was met with an overwhelming positive response from both voters and county clerks across the state.
click to download audioEach county will determine where the supercenter will be located.
The final part of the plan allows a break from the voter ID law passed by the legislature earlier this year because some people haven’t been able to get IDs during the pandemic. Adams said anyone who can’t get one can sign a document explaining why and can cast a ballot.
In using parts of the plan rolled out Friday, Kentucky saw it’s highest-ever turnout for a Presidential primary election in state history.
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