Beshear allows all Kentuckians to use absentee voting by mail in June primary
Gov. Andy Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams have agreed on “a different manner” to conduct Kentucky’s June 23 primary election that calls on all voters to use absentee voting by mail if they can.
Beshear signed an executive order Friday outlining the steps for the election to be held during the time of coronavirus. He said he did so at Adams’ recommendation.
State lawmakers earlier this month made sure that Adams and Beshear both have a say in how the election will be conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beshear had vetoed language that required he and Adams to agree on a plan, but the Republican-led legislature overrode his veto.
Beshear’s order said the State Board of Elections will come up with emergency regulations to provide for expanded absentee voting by mail.
It said the board will create a secure online portal that will allow voters to request an absentee ballot be mailed to them.
The order directs the board to “take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of county clerks and poll workers when direct voting (not by mail) is necessary.”
That would include permitting in-person absentee voting to begin June 8, directing county clerks to prioritize such voters by appointment, providing adequate personal protective equipment and materials for sanitization to clerks and poll workers, and instructing county clerks to implement procedures that limit direct contact between persons, whether poll workers or voters.
“Such procedures shall promote a method of voting, such as drive-through voting, whereby poll workers do not come into contact with voters,” the order said.
The order also said the elections board will come up with additional emergency regulations to ensure Kentuckians can safely exercise their right to vote, while protecting the safety of county clerks and poll workers.
Beshear and Adams already had agreed to push back the primary election, in which party nominees for November’s general election are chosen, from May 19 to June 23.
The primary election ballot includes races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the Kentucky General Assembly and various judicial positions.
A release from Beshear’s office said Adams sent the governor a formal letter of recommendation Thursday and the governor issued the order the next day.
Adams’ letter says the governor will provide about $1.3 million in state funds to secure matching federal funds available for pandemic-related election costs.
It also said county clerks will conduct in-person absentee voting on June 8-13, June 15-20 and June 22 by appointment. The location of the voting may be outside the clerks’ offices but it has to be in a secured area monitored by law enforcement.
The clerks also will be able to reduce the number of sites for in-person voting on June 23 and may use poll workers in shifts of less than 12 hours.
Adams’ letter also said the counting of ballots must by completed by June 30 and no one shall make public any partial election results prior to 6 p.m. local time on June 23.
The time for a candidate to seek a recanvass will be extended to 4 p.m. EST July 7.
“While there will be significant education and work required, we are committed to making sure this election will be held in a safe manner while we are in this worldwide health pandemic,” said Beshear, a Democrat.
Adams, a Republican, last year ran against mail voting, saying it was risky. He acknowledged this year that it is necessary due to COVID-19.
“Voters across the political spectrum will be pleased with this plan to protect both democracy and public health,” Adams said. “I’m grateful to Gov. Beshear for his leadership, and his working in good faith with me toward ensuring a successful and safe election.”
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler of Versailles, who is chair of the State Board of Elections, said it is expected to hold a special meeting next Tuesday to deal with the regulations in the governor’s order.
He said he wants to be sure absentee ballots come with pre-paid postage. If they do not, he said, designated drop boxes may be needed to collect them.
Adams said the cost of pre-paid postage will have to be determined but that he is wary of drop boxes because of security reasons.
“If we do see we need them, my preference would have them in places where there are law-enforcement officials,” he said.
Kevin Golden, campaign manager for Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s re-election bid, said it was critical for Beshear and Adams to reach a compromise that ensures Kentuckians are able to safely participate in the election, “and we’re pleased to see that they have worked out a solution that does just that.”
Democratic front-runner Amy McGrath called the move “a win for democracy.”
“American’s shouldn’t have to choose between protecting their health and performing their civic duty,” McGrath said.
She also called it “an important first step in expanding access to voting in the future.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 11:03 AM.
