The November election will cost Kentucky $9 million. Where will the money come from?
Kentucky needs an additional $5 million to pay for its unusual November general election, which will give voters the option of casting their ballots by mail or in-person during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s the biggest problem we have left to worry about in regards to the November election,” Ben Chandler, chairman of the State Board of Elections, said Tuesday. “We have a good plan in place. We don’t have the source of the money yet to pay for it and that must be addressed.”
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams announced a plan last Friday for the Nov. 3 general election that, like in the June primary election, will allow anyone wary of COVID-19 to mail their absentee ballot.
Adams said Tuesday that the money will be there to pay for the November election. “Yes, we need an additional $5 million but we feel that is very manageable. The governor has said we will not shortchange the public in this virus. We will be fine.”
Jared Dearing, executive director of the State Board of Elections, said Tuesday that the June primary election cost the state between $4.5 million to $5 million, paid in large part by the federal CARES Act.
But the November election will cost the state about $9 million, he said.
The price jump, he said, is because “we will be going from about 30 percent voter turnout to 70 percent, about 1 million voters in the primary to 2.5 million in the general.” Kentucky has about 3.4 million registered voters.
Voter turnout always is heaviest in presidential elections, he said. The November ballot in Kentucky will feature races for president, U.S. Senate, Congress, state legislature and some judgeships.
To pay for the $9 million November election, Dearing said, about $4 million will come from the federal CARES Act and various federal grants.
Chandler said the additional $5 million should be earmarked in federal dollars by President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Louisville.
“It’s time for the Republicans in Washington to step up,” said Chandler, a former Democratic representative from Central Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District. “You hear Trump talking about benefiting from a chaotic election. I personally think Trump and McConnell are trying to ensure that happens.”
McConnell spokesman Robert Steurer said in an email, “Over the last three years, Leader McConnell has passed over $1.2 billion in money for states to help strengthen their systems and respond to the pandemic.
“That includes over $18 million for Kentucky. Leader McConnell also secured over $6 million in his CARES Act for Kentucky’s elections specifically to help make them safe in the pandemic. He will continue to work with state elections officials to make sure Kentucky’s elections are safe and secure.”
If Washington does not provide the additional money, Chandler said, “I guess Beshear will have to find it somewhere.”
Possible options for the state to pick up the tab include declaring the election a “necessary government expense,” which could allow payments from the state’s rainy day fund, or earmarking other federal dollars for the election.
Beshear said late Tuesday that the money will be there. He said the state could use other CARES Act money for the election if necessary.
“We will have the election under this plan,” said Dearing. “There are things that have to be paid for. The question now is where is the money coming from.”
Voters can go online starting Friday to request a ballot at govoteky.com. Ballots can be returned in the mail with postage paid by the state or dropped in a box designated by county clerks.
Other options to vote will include casting a ballot in person at designated polling places on Nov. 3 or voting in person during the three weeks leading up to the election.
Kentucky’s June 23 primary election allowed for no-excuse absentee voting by mail and about 75 percent of voters took advantage of that method. Voter turnout — almost 29 percent — was the highest in a Kentucky primary election since 2008.
This story was originally published August 18, 2020 at 3:57 PM.
