Kentucky voter registration saw an increase of just over 500 in March, and with county clerks offices closed to in-person visits due to the coronavirus pandemic, Secretary of State Michael Adams is urging people to register online and has extended the deadline.
There were 3,469,912 registered to vote as of March 31. This was a 0.01 percent increase since Feb. 29 or only 504 additional voters.
Written by Tom Latek of Kentucky Today
Registered Democrats made up a little more than 48 percent of the electorate with 1,679,132 registered voters. That was a drop of 914 since Feb. 29, a 0.05 percent decrease. Republican registrants total 1,484,062, nearly 43 percent of voters, with a gain of 976, or 0.07 percent since Feb. 29. Almost 9 percent of voters are listed under other affiliations, adding 442 voters, which represents a 0.14 percent increase.
“Voter registration has leveled at a time when it’s difficult to conduct a voter registration drive,” Adams said. “I’ve taken action to delay the voter registration deadline for the primary election to May 26. I strongly encourage, and will use the resources of my Office to encourage, Kentuckians to register to vote online, at GoVoteKy.com.”
May 26 was the original date for the Democratic and Republican primaries, but Gov. Andy Beshear, upon the recommendation of Adams, moved the primary to June 23, as is permissible under state law.
Races on the June primary ballot will include, President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, all state House seats and half of the state Senate, the seat on the Kentucky Supreme Court that represents eastern Kentucky, one Court of Appeals seat that represents far western Kentucky, three circuit court judgeships, two seats on the district court bench and two family court judge positions.
The two proposed Constitutional amendments will not go before the voters until the November General Election. One, known as Marsy’s Law, establishes a crime victims’ bill of rights, while the other extends the terms of Commonwealth’s attorneys and district judges, while requiring district judges to be a practicing attorney for eight years, instead of the current two-year requirement.
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Written by Tom Latek. Cross-posted from Kentucky Today.