|
Published: May 08, 2008 03:13 pm
State, federal officials will be on lookout for voter fraud
By RONNIE ELLIS
CNHI News Service
FRANKFORT —
Attorney General Jack Conway expects the eyes of the country now to focus on Kentucky in the presidential nomination battle between Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. At least if that race is still a race come May 20, the date of Kentucky’s primary.
“On May 20, the eyes of the nation, and indeed the world, will be on Kentucky,” Conway said Wednesday. “We’re going to run a fair, open and model election.”
Conway, a Democrat, and Republican Secretary of State Trey Grayson appeared together at a press conference to announce a Voter Fraud Hotline which will operate from 6 a.m. EDT to 7 p.m. EDT on May 20 to take calls from anyone who thinks he may have witnessed voter fraud.
The number is (800) 328-VOTE or 8683. Conway said his office will refer any complaint to the appropriate agency. Conway’s office will also have officers in the field on election day looking for evidence of voter fraud.
And with federal offices on the ballot this year, the appropriate agency could be a federal agency. Tom Dyche and Ken Taylor, both with the U.S. District Attorney’s office for the eastern district of Kentucky, were also at the press conference.
Taylor said one of the office’s priorities is voter fraud and their office has prosecuted a number of such cases in eastern Kentucky, including prosecutions in Bath County, Pike County and Knott County. There is also an investigation under way in Clay County, he said, concerning allegations that precinct workers tampered with electronic voting machines.
“If you have corrupt precinct workers, you’ve got a problem,” Taylor said.
“We do have jurisdiction this year because there are federal races on the ballot,” Taylor said. He said most voter fraud cases involve local elections, “but corruption in local races tends to skew federal races on the ballot.”
Many of those cases involve illegal vote hauling – paying people to transport voters to the polls. Grayson said the state must do more to prohibit or prosecute illegal vote hauling but he doesn’t want to outlaw it altogether because getting out the vote is a legitimate campaign practice.
Grayson warned of another potential problem for some voters – those who changed registration after Jan. 1 in order to vote in the primary of their choice are ineligible to vote in the primary. Kentucky law does not allow voters to switch parties prior to a primary after Dec. 31 and be eligible to vote in that primary. They are still eligible to vote in the general election and in future primaries. The law’s intent is to prevent members of a party from deliberately trying to disrupt the other party’s selection of a candidate.
He said 14,349 voters in Kentucky had changed registration since Jan. 1 and his office is sending letters to all of them to avoid confusion on May 20. He didn’t have party data on hand Wednesday, but said he assumed the majority of those are people who registered to vote in the hotly contested Democratic primary between Obama and Clinton.
Grayson conceded that if Clinton, following a disappointing loss in North Carolina on Tuesday and a closer-than-expected win in Indiana, drops out of the race, national attention on Kentucky will likely subside. Much of the political commentary following Tuesday’s elections in Indiana and North Carolina indicated Clinton’s path to the nomination shrunk even more and Obama is almost certain to be the nominee. Some speculated Clinton, her campaign in debt and strapped for cash, may leave the race before May 20.
But there are local and state legislative races still on the May 20 ballot regardless of what happens in the race for president.
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.
• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
FULL-TIME ENTRY LEVEL MAINTENANCE WORKER
needed for East-West Trucking Company in Glasgow. Medical and dental insurance is available after 90 days. For more info...>MORE
NOW HIRING OTR TRUCK DRIVERS
Paid practical miles, good home time & pd. vacation. Call Steven at 270-618-9708....>MORE
WANTED, TRUCK DRIVERS, OWNER/OPERATOR
to haul logs. Be home every night. Competitive wages. 270-428-3644. Dickerson Lumber Co....>MORE
SPECTRUM CARE ACADEMY IS LOOKINGOF R AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS A MASTER'S LEVEL
who is eligible for a license in counseling in the state of Kentucky. We are a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilit...>MORE
TRUCK DRIVER WANTED WITH CLASS C
hauling US Mail from Bowling Green to Gamaliel, split shift from 5am-7:30am & 4pm-6:30pm. Must have own transportation h...>MORE
ASSISTANT MANAGER - UNDERGROUND ATTITUDE
in the Ford Centre is looking for mature sales focused individual interested in a retail career. Candidate must have a m...>MORE
HVAC SERVICING & REPAIR PERSON.
2 years experience. Call 270-651-6226 or 270-590-6134....>MORE
TEMP TO PERM INDUSTRIAL JOB OPENINGS IN GLASGOW & HORSE CAVE.
Most jobs require you to be able to pass drug screen, criminal background check and have high school diploma or GED. All...>MORE
OTR DRIVERS IT'S SPRING....
Are you missing your family? Call Core Trans LLC Today & Be Home EVERY WEEKEND!! $1,000 sign on BONUS! 2,500-3,000 miles...>MORE
HOW HIRING - HARDEE'S ASST. MANAGER,
Glasgow, KY. Vacations, benefits, insurance, flex. scheduling. Mail resume or letter to 205 W. Cherry, Glasgow....>MORE
See all ads |
|
2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING.
6 speed, 96 cu. in., gray, like brand new, 3,500 miles. $16,400. Call 270-579-2874.
...>MORE
FOR RENT: TWO TRAILER LOTS.
Located at Hollow Rd. in Glasgow. Call 270-651-6786....>MORE
2005 CORVETTE, LEMANS, BLUE, LS2
fully optioned. 25K, 1 owner miles. $33,900. 678-3212....>MORE
LOOKING FOR A GREAT AUTO DEAL?.....
Looking to buy or sell?
Check here for the Premium Auto Section.
You can post an ad with unlimited text and ...>MORE
'07 FORD MUSTANG, RED, 2 DR
CP, V-6, 5 speed, auto, cloth, 14K, garage kept, asking $16,000. 270-678-6971....>MORE
2007 TOYOTA CAMEY XLE MODEL,
beautiful blue exterior, 39,000 miles, good gas mileage! Call 270-427-5468....>MORE
'01 HONDA ACCORD, WHITE, 4 CYL.,
2 door, loaded, 90,000 miles, 24/34 mgp. Great car for young driver. $10,500. 270-590-1733....>MORE
2003 CHEVY UTILITY VAN, (SEATS AVAILABLE),
V-6, all power, runs great. $2,500. OBO. 270-786-1102....>MORE
1997 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT,
club cab, 4 WD 138K, well kept. $6000. 270-670-7218....>MORE
1997 GMC 1500 4WD AUTO,
107K, gooseneck, cruise, PW, PDL, $6,000. 427-4314....>MORE
See all ads |
|
MOBILE HOME FOR SALE, MUST BE MOVED.
2 BR, 1 1/2 BA, good condition, $12,500. 270-428-5783 after 7pm-10pm....>MORE
2 BDRM MOBILE HOMES with a/c, in the hospital
and school area. Ref. req., 1 yr. lease and security deposit. Outsite pets. HUD accepted. 270-842-0820 or 404-5414....>MORE
2 BR DUPLEX, STOVE, REFRIG., W/D FURNISHED
Available 5-1-08. $425.00 Dep. $400.00 month. No pets. Call 270-678-6784....>MORE
1 BEDROOM, WITH APPLIANCES. $300/MO.
With Depsoit. Call 646-5918 days....>MORE
2 BR, 1 BA DUPLEX, ALL APPLIANCES FURNISHED,
in town, no pets, $425 mo. + dep. & yard maint. included, 1 yr. lease required. 270-646-8538 or 270-651-7514....>MORE
NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME. 3 BR, 2 BA, NEW SALEM RD.
2 car garage. 1792 sq. ft. $135,000. 270-646-7795....>MORE
FOR SALE: 2130 WILLIE GROCE RD., GLASGOW,
3.81 acres with 515’ frontage on Willie Groce Rd. Nice acreage that lays nearly level to very gently rolling (lots of ro...>MORE
MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE.
Next to hospital. Call 270-646-7143....>MORE
SEMI-FURNISHED APARTMENT.
1 BR, BA, LR & kitchen, $300 mo. + $200 dep. No pets. Call 270-678-2585....>MORE
RENT UNTIL YOU CAN OWN! 214 Lee St.,
Glasgow. Double wide, 3 R, 2 BA. $600 mo. + $600 dep. Call 270-792-3856....>MORE
See all ads |
|
 |
|
Print this story
E-mail this story
Discuss this story
