THREAD: What's takeaway from #KYPrimary?
-KY's voting rules were less restrictive than ever and turnout was high. That doesn't excuse problems, but let's at least recognize that fact.
We absolutely need no excuse absentee voting and early voting for Nov. 1/
-KY's voting rules were less restrictive than ever and turnout was high. That doesn't excuse problems, but let's at least recognize that fact.
We absolutely need no excuse absentee voting and early voting for Nov. 1/
-Lines were short almost everywhere except Lexington, where wait was 2 hours at longest. That's unacceptable, but better than projections
-Louisville's polling place went very well until the very end. 2/
-Louisville's polling place went very well until the very end. 2/
-Problem in Louisville was really the 6:00 closing time and traffic back-up, not capacity to process voters
-We still need additional polling places, esp in Lexington and Louisville. I'm very concerned about the effect of disenfranchisement for those who couldn't travel far 3/
-We still need additional polling places, esp in Lexington and Louisville. I'm very concerned about the effect of disenfranchisement for those who couldn't travel far 3/
-So...to help, volunteer to be a poll worker in Nov.! That's the key to having more polling places.
-Lexington required an appointment for early voting. That was a mistake that likely led to some of the lines 4/
-Lexington required an appointment for early voting. That was a mistake that likely led to some of the lines 4/
-Virtually everywhere in the state, voting went smoothly. Let's recognize that fact! It didn't go great in Lexington most of the day or in Louisville at the end. Let's learn from that as well! 5/
-All in all, I'd grade today as "fairly positive" overall.
Any disenfranchisement is terrible. 2 hours to vote is terrible. Needing to travel far to vote is terrible. We need to fix all of this.
But it wasn't the unmitigated disaster that so many were predicting. 6/
Any disenfranchisement is terrible. 2 hours to vote is terrible. Needing to travel far to vote is terrible. We need to fix all of this.
But it wasn't the unmitigated disaster that so many were predicting. 6/
-If anything it shows the desperate need to at least continue no excuse absentee balloting and early voting in November, and beyond. Otherwise, we are back to extremely restrictive voting rules that truly disenfranchise even more: one day of voting for only 12 hours. 7/
-Election officials and poll workers should be commended. Yes, they can always do a better job when voters have to wait or are shut out (luckily it seems everyone in Louisville who was there by 6 was allowed to vote).
Especially for poll workers, it's a thankless job. Thanks. 8/
Especially for poll workers, it's a thankless job. Thanks. 8/
During 2020 leg session I advocated hard for HB 596, sponsored by @jmnemes w/ support from @KYSecState, tod reduce registration deadline, extend polling hours to 7:00 (I wanted at least 8:00), and make other good changes. Stalled cause of COVID. Today shows we really need it. 9/
