The Warren County Fiscal Court has established an election education task force ahead of the November 7th state election. The non-partisan group consists of 11 members of the Warren County community and is chaired by Fiscal Court members Scott Lasley and Tom Lawrence.
The task force is working to raise awareness and inform voters about where and when voters can cast their ballots. The initiative will use a social media campaign, mailing list, and banners across the county to bring more information to voters.
Warren County Judge Executive Doug Gorman said the task force was formed with the sole purpose of raising voter participation in the county.
“One of the most important things about this task force is just to increase voter turnout,” Gorman said. “The bottom line is for every 100 registered voters, only 20 show up. I don't know how we can make the changes that sometimes we think we want to make, but yet no one wants to go to the polls to exercise their right that was given to them by this country.”
The task force was created in September and focused on raising awareness of the state deadline for voter registration. With that deadline past, the initiative will now focus on informing voters of polling stations within the county and making citizens aware of important dates and times for early voting.
Warren County residents can take advantage of early voting from 8:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 2-4 at five locations in Warren County. According to the task force, Bowling Green city trolleys will also be used to help transport citizens to voting locations on election day.
Johnalma Barnett, a member of the task force, said the group hopes to engage with first-time voters, new citizens, or anyone who is unfamiliar with the voting process.
“We’re trying to educate people more on voting,” Barnett said. “A lot of people do not know the locations because we don't have as many locations as we did and to give people a plan. People don't have a plan to go and vote and that’s needed.”
The initiative will remain in place leading up to the presidential election in 2024. According to Gorman the efforts of the task force during the state elections will serve as a benchmark for what they hope to improve on leading to the national elections.
“We just appointed this task force about a month and a half ago,” Gorman said. “But really this task force is going to run through the 2024 election. We do have the governor's race coming up and there’s some other ones. But just to be honest with you 2024 will be a bigger election because you have state, federal and local elections that will happen.”
The nonpartisan task force includes eleven members with various ethnicities and backgrounds which represent the diverse demographics in Warren County. According to Barnett, having a group of people that represent the voters of Warren County was imperative in creating the initiative.
“You can’t get anything done if only a certain segment of the people vote,” Barnett said. “Everybody's voices should be heard. Bowling Green is a diverse community so everybody should have a say and your vote is your power.”
