Kentucky’s Secretary of State says lawmakers have a way to increase voter participation statewide.
Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes spoke in Frankfort Monday in support of early voting legislation.
Under a bill proposed by Secretary Grimes, Kentucky voters could cast early in-person ballots without an excuse. Currently, voters must have a qualifying reason to vote early. Grimes points to the success of no-excuse early voting in other states.
"Tennessee has early voting without a qualifying excuse, and in their presidential primary they held just six days ago, they saw a record number of Tennesseans coming out to participate early in the election," Grimes told WKU Public Radio.
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett testified alongside Grimes to a House committee. Hargett said his state also saw more people voting early during the 2012 presidential election than on election day.
Only 30 percent of registered voters turned out in Kentucky’s 2015 general election. Grimes said no-excuse early voting would increase participation, reduce the stress on voting systems, and improve the performance of poll workers.
If the legislation is approved, early voters would cast their ballots at least 12 days prior to election day, including two Saturdays.
