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Beshear, Adams agree on multi-faceted plan for fall general election

In a heartening display of bipartisanship, Governor Andy Beshear (D) and Secretary of State Michael Adams (R) released their plans for the upcoming general election in November.

The voting plan

The plan expands voting opportunities for all Kentuckians, including both absentee voting and early voting in addition to election-day voting. Here’s the main provisions of the plan, as outlined on Kentucky Today:

Absentee voting

  • There are numerous reasons voters can request an absentee ballot, but the June primary was the first election where voters could just select “COVID-19” as one of the illness reasons. In the same way, Kentuckians concerned with contracting or spreading COVID-19 can request an absentee ballot for this election as well. The difference is that this time, the voter is basically attesting to the fact that they have a reason to be worried about voting in person. But, since that assertion by the voter is up to the voter, essentially anyone who wants an absentee ballot can get one.
  • An online portal will launch by Friday, August 21, to allow Kentuckians to request an absentee ballot by mail. Ballots can be requested through the portal through Oct. 9; after that date, voters would have to contact their county clerk directly.
  • If you mail back your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and received at the county clerk’s office by Nov. 6.
  • If you would rather drop off your ballot to be sure that it is received, drop boxes will be available in each county. County clerks will determine these locations, and the state is helping to purchase additional drop boxes for the counties to use.

Early in-person voting

  • Beginning Oct. 13 and lasting till Election Day, every county clerk will provide a location for safe in-person early voting. The location will be open every weekday during business hours, and every Saturday for at least four hours.
  • Unlike absentee voting, voters do not have to have a reason to vote early; anyone can vote early for any reason.

Election Day in-person voting

  • County election officials will decide election sites for Election Day voting. That list of sites for each county must be submitted to the state, and the State Board of Elections, the Secretary of State, and the Governor must approve each plan.
  • Every county will have at least one voting super-center, where everyone from the county can go to vote, regardless of his or her precinct.

Voter identification issues

  • Senate Bill 2 (the voter photo ID bill) will be in effect. Voters will be expected to show a photo ID in order to be able to vote.
  • However, Kentuckians who were unable to get a driver’s license or photo ID due to the pandemic because their clerk’s office was closed, or because they were afraid of exposing themselves to COVID-19, can sign a document explaining this concern and cast their ballot.

Comments on the plan

Beshear and Adams

Both the governor and the SOS commented on working together to hammer out the plan for the election.

“Our secretary of state came with a very good starting plan,” Beshear said.  “We were negotiating only some of the finer points, and I want to commend him for putting ideology on the shelf to make sure that we have an election that both stresses health and enfranchisement.”

Adams agreed, saying that was how they put the primary election plan together, as well as for November. “We kept the best of what worked in the June primary,” Adams stated, “especially giving voters options to safely cast their votes, and we built on that record with improvements, more in-person voting locations, and faster election results.”

Democratic leadership

The Democratic leadership in the House was pleased with the plan.

“Kentucky received high marks nationally for the way it conducted the primary election during a pandemic, and we believe the plan announced this afternoon by Governor Beshear and Secretary of State Adams sets the stage for another successful election in November. Although these changes were brought about because of COVID, we will fight during next year’s legislative session to make early voting the standard in the law rather than the exception, something our caucus members have always championed. Voters deserve more, not fewer, opportunities to make sure their voices are heard.” – Kentucky House Democratic Caucus Leaders Joni Jenkins, Derrick Graham, and Angie Hatton

Other experts and voices

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