Ky. cuts 95% of polling places

[kadee79]

So how angry do you think a WHOLE BUNCH of folks are going to be on Tue.?

Kentucky lawmakers have warned the state was heading towards a disastrous primary election this week, as ballot problems, voter confusion and a severe shortage of polling places threatened to suppress turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic.

State officials on both sides of the political aisle released a joint statement condemning US District Court Judge Charles Simpson’s ruling against a case that argued having just one polling site in most of the state’s 120 counties would result in voter suppression. 

“We believe the judge disregarded evidence from our expert witness that one location will suppress the vote, particularly among African Americans,” read the statement, co-authored by Jason Nemes, a Republican state representative, and Keisha Dorsey, a Democratic councilwoman for Louisville Metro. The lawmakers were both behind the lawsuit, which demanded an increase in statewide polling locations. 

Reports have indicated voters throughout Kentucky received inaccurate absentee ballots — which many requested in order to vote from home rather than flocking to the polls in droves amid a Covid-19 outbreak — that do not match their party affiliations. In Kentucky, voters must be members of a party to participate in its primary elections. 

In a typical election year, Kentucky has about 3,700 polling sites, according to most reports. When Election Day arrives on 23 June, there will be just 200 polling sites across the state — with some of those sites having to serve upwards of 600,000 residents.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kentucky-cuts-polling-locations-angry-mob-long-lines-georgia-election-day-disaster-confusion-a9577501.html 

[busymom]

So, if an angry mob burns down a city, whose fault is it?  Can you even imagine trying to go to a polling place that is supposed to serve 600,000 people?


I guess Kentucky wants the moniker of "dumbest state in the USA".  

[djAdvocate]

this will end up in court, and it won't go well for KY.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I found KY the easiest state to ever vote in.  

It looks like the single polling place is in Louisville, which along with Lexington and a third city almost always run blue.  

Looks like Mitch is really trying to keep his seat...

[thyme4change]

Democracy is dying from Coronavirus and we all feel powerless to stop it.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Jun 22, 2020 8:10:51 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Democracy is dying from Coronavirus and we all feel powerless to stop it.

Democracy is NOT dying from Coronavirus. It is dying from power hungry assholes.

[bean29]

Who would have thought that anyone could successfully set this up, and get away with it.

Setting up a situation where everyone that lives in a particular county has to vote in one location, definitely gives more advantage to rural areas.  High density areas that usually have a higher concentration of lower income people are disadvantaged.  Polling places should cover approximately the same geographic area (ie. square miles, and or population as in X # of polling places per 10,000 people or something like that).  

How will they even manage that?  When we go to vote the have two people sitting side by side with the registered voters listed in books.  they have to find you in both books, assign you a ballot # and then you sign one of the books.  So the voter list will have 616,000 people on it?  So they are using a stadium as a polling place?  

[Wisconsin Beth]

So KY's doing a 'hold my beer' after seeing how Wisconsin's primary went earlier this year? 

[swamp]

Of course they did.  Bless their hearts. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 22, 2020 9:46:25 GMT -5 bean29 said:

Who would have thought that anyone could successfully set this up, and get away with it.

Setting up a situation where everyone that lives in a particular county has to vote in one location, definitely gives more advantage to rural areas.  High density areas that usually have a higher concentration of lower income people are disadvantaged.  Polling places should cover approximately the same geographic area (ie. square miles, and or population as in X # of polling places per 10,000 people or something like that).  

How will they even manage that?  When we go to vote the have two people sitting side by side with the registered voters listed in books.  they have to find you in both books, assign you a ballot # and then you sign one of the books.  So the voter list will have 616,000 people on it?  So they are using a stadium as a polling place?  

They’re trying.  Louisville, Lexington and I think Paducah vote historically blue in KY.  These are blue dots in a field of red, but the population in the cities can not override the rest of the state.  KY has a pop of about 4 million, about 1 million in those 3 cities.

This article was talking about Louisville.

[justme]

I'm trying to figure out all this polling stuff, though honestly haven't read a lot. I brought up Georgia when I was with my parents and she's like oh well it's all the individual district's fault and it was the democratic districts that got rid of polling places and caused that mess. Which, seems contrary to other stuff that I've heard. And if it's all run by the individual districts then why do we need a state supervisor of elections and why do they have the power to do voter purges? 

I'm just all confused on who is actually collapsing all these voting locations and shit. And glad that I asked to vote by mail two months ago so I don't have to worry about that shit. 

[kadee79]

Jun 22, 2020 13:06:18 GMT -5 justme said:

I'm trying to figure out all this polling stuff, though honestly haven't read a lot. I brought up Georgia when I was with my parents and she's like oh well it's all the individual district's fault and it was the democratic districts that got rid of polling places and caused that mess. Which, seems contrary to other stuff that I've heard. And if it's all run by the individual districts then why do we need a state supervisor of elections and why do they have the power to do voter purges? 

I'm just all confused on who is actually collapsing all these voting locations and shit. And glad that I asked to vote by mail two months ago so I don't have to worry about that shit. 

Tell your parents that no democratic district can legally close a polling place.  It has to be done by the GOP SofS or his office...democrats don't control that....for now!

[justme]

Jun 22, 2020 14:19:45 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

Jun 22, 2020 13:06:18 GMT -5 justme said:

I'm trying to figure out all this polling stuff, though honestly haven't read a lot. I brought up Georgia when I was with my parents and she's like oh well it's all the individual district's fault and it was the democratic districts that got rid of polling places and caused that mess. Which, seems contrary to other stuff that I've heard. And if it's all run by the individual districts then why do we need a state supervisor of elections and why do they have the power to do voter purges? 

I'm just all confused on who is actually collapsing all these voting locations and shit. And glad that I asked to vote by mail two months ago so I don't have to worry about that shit. 

Tell your parents that no democratic district can legally close a polling place.  It has to be done by the GOP SofS or his office...democrats don't control that....for now!

That's what I thought. I was like it makes no sense for them to close polling locations and then be mad they're closed. Like you may not like dems but in the last few years they're usually not the ones outright lying. 

[alabamagal]

Maybe before anyone judges what is going to happen, they should wait and see what happens. Our Governor (D) is confident that voting will go well. We have had “no excuse” mail in voting for a month, highly publicized trying to get people to vote that way. I voted that way, requested a ballot, got in the mail, then sent it in. No stamp required, didn’t have to print or copy anything, and if I voted without assistance just had to sign my name.

So far, the state has sent out MORE ballots than there were actual primary votes, when we had hotly contested race for governor. And half have already been returned. Mail ballots have to be in mail by Election Day.

The D governor has said that the election process is the most efficient way that they can get voters who insist on in person voting through the system. While there is only one per county, the polls at the 2 largest cities are supposed to be well staffed. It is easier to have all workers at one place rather than trying to figure out how many workers to split between various places.

And this is a PRIMARY! No matter what stories people are making up about R suppressing the vote, a D will prevail in each race. Maybe it will be a mess tomorrow, but our D governor says he is confident.

[pulmonarymd]

Jun 22, 2020 16:09:16 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

Maybe before anyone judges what is going to happen, they should wait and see what happens. Our Governor (D) is confident that voting will go well. We have had “no excuse” mail in voting for a month, highly publicized trying to get people to vote that way. I voted that way, requested a ballot, got in the mail, then sent it in. No stamp required, didn’t have to print or copy anything, and if I voted without assistance just had to sign my name.

So far, the state has sent out MORE ballots than there were actual primary votes, when we had hotly contested race for governor. And half have already been returned. Mail ballots have to be in mail by Election Day.

The D governor has said that the election process is the most efficient way that they can get voters who insist on in person voting through the system. While there is only one per county, the polls at the 2 largest cities are supposed to be well staffed. It is easier to have all workers at one place rather than trying to figure out how many workers to split between various places.

And this is a PRIMARY! No matter what stories people are making up about R suppressing the vote, a D will prevail in each race. Maybe it will be a mess tomorrow, but our D governor says he is confident.

Doesn't matter if they think this will work well. In the middle of a pandemic, doing anything to increase the concentration of people anywhere is a bad idea. Bringing people who would not normally interact into close contact is a disaster waiting to happen. If vote by mail is successful, then they could move to this plan at the next election, when the risk of the virus will, theoretically anyway, be less. Doesn't matter if it is a good idea politically, from an infection control idea, it is not a good one.

[kadee79]

AG, I sure hope your optimistic opinion prevails....but it is a disaster waiting to happen if too many don't vote by mail & show up at the polling places.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 22, 2020 16:09:16 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

Maybe before anyone judges what is going to happen, they should wait and see what happens. Our Governor (D) is confident that voting will go well. We have had “no excuse” mail in voting for a month, highly publicized trying to get people to vote that way. I voted that way, requested a ballot, got in the mail, then sent it in. No stamp required, didn’t have to print or copy anything, and if I voted without assistance just had to sign my name.

So far, the state has sent out MORE ballots than there were actual primary votes, when we had hotly contested race for governor. And half have already been returned. Mail ballots have to be in mail by Election Day.

The D governor has said that the election process is the most efficient way that they can get voters who insist on in person voting through the system. While there is only one per county, the polls at the 2 largest cities are supposed to be well staffed. It is easier to have all workers at one place rather than trying to figure out how many workers to split between various places.

And this is a PRIMARY! No matter what stories people are making up about R suppressing the vote, a D will prevail in each race. Maybe it will be a mess tomorrow, but our D governor says he is confident.

Not buying it.  Sorry.  I have dealt with both Lexington and Louisville rush hour traffic and parking issues.  It doesn’t matter how well staffed a location is if there is no place to park, or you sit in traffic 90 min to get to the point to hunt for a parking space.....then to stand in line to vote.

Yeah......it took me 90 min to get through Lexington when I had the bad idea to be on the road when a basketball game let out.  Taught me to check the game schedule first.

[Tennesseer]

I wonder if Kentucky thought about putting election officials by a locked dropbox at in-person voting sites where if the lines are so long there are drop off points at the polling places where mail-in votes could be left.

Citizens go with the thought of voting in person but bring their completed mail-in votes which they can officially leave if the lines are too long.

Officials could have a computer (or two, or three) by the dropbox to check and make sure no one votes twice.

[countrygirl2]

I think its all designed to try and keep mcconnell in, I know its a primary, but trust nothing they do.

[djAdvocate]

Jun 22, 2020 19:01:36 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

I think its all designed to try and keep mcconnell in, I know its a primary, but trust nothing they do.

previews of coming attractions!

[kadee79]

If it's still likely that McConnell will stay in....THEN ALL THE REST US NEED TO MAKE DAMN SURE HE IS HEAD OF THE MINORITY IN THE SENATE!  He has done enough destruction to the US!

[thyme4change]

Jun 22, 2020 9:46:25 GMT -5 bean29 said:

Who would have thought that anyone could successfully set this up, and get away with it.

Setting up a situation where everyone that lives in a particular county has to vote in one location, definitely gives more advantage to rural areas.  High density areas that usually have a higher concentration of lower income people are disadvantaged.  Polling places should cover approximately the same geographic area (ie. square miles, and or population as in X # of polling places per 10,000 people or something like that).  

How will they even manage that?  When we go to vote the have two people sitting side by side with the registered voters listed in books.  they have to find you in both books, assign you a ballot # and then you sign one of the books.  So the voter list will have 616,000 people on it?  So they are using a stadium as a polling place?  

Maybe we should only have voting locations in the cities. If those rural folks care, surely they will drive in. They are use to driving into the city for services anyway. They can just schedule their appointments and such for election day. Should be easy enough, they will get plenty of warning. Why would that be a problem for anyone? 85% of people live in the cities/suburbs anyway, so it would be the most efficient way to do it. If those rural folks don't like it, they should just move. After all it is a free country.

[countrygirl2]

We need monitors in from other countries, to make sure our elections are fair? That's what we used to do.  We need them now, sad.

[thyme4change]

Jun 22, 2020 8:20:56 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

Jun 22, 2020 8:10:51 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Democracy is dying from Coronavirus and we all feel powerless to stop it.

Democracy is NOT dying from Coronavirus. It is dying from power hungry assholes.

Co-morbidity

[moon/Laura]

Something I saw on Facebook today, thought I'd share.  


forwardky.com/would-everyone-please-get-the-louisville-voting-story-straight/

[billisonboard]

Jun 23, 2020 14:14:41 GMT -5 moon/Laura said:

Something I saw on Facebook today, thought I'd share.  


forwardky.com/would-everyone-please-get-the-louisville-voting-story-straight/

From the link:

Normally, we vote in 270 polling locations across the county.

This is not one polling location. This is one building with eighteen polling locations inside.

See, not that bad.

[pulmonarymd]

Jun 23, 2020 14:35:20 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jun 23, 2020 14:14:41 GMT -5 moon/Laura said:

Something I saw on Facebook today, thought I'd share.  


forwardky.com/would-everyone-please-get-the-louisville-voting-story-straight/

From the link:

Normally, we vote in 270 polling locations across the county.

This is not one polling location. This is one building with eighteen polling locations inside.

See, not that bad.

And still an infection control issue. Bringing more people who would not normally interact to the same location is lunacy

[busymom]

Can you even imagine how many new cases of the virus there will be?  You just can't fix stupid!  Yes, let's send thousands of people to vote in one space during a pandemic...  

[thyme4change]

Written by a democrat, and I still want to punch him in his face.

[thyme4change]

Jun 23, 2020 14:35:20 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jun 23, 2020 14:14:41 GMT -5 moon/Laura said:

Something I saw on Facebook today, thought I'd share.  


forwardky.com/would-everyone-please-get-the-louisville-voting-story-straight/

From the link:

Normally, we vote in 270 polling locations across the county.

This is not one polling location. This is one building with eighteen polling locations inside.

See, not that bad.

We would probably be fussing about it if they took 270 locations down to 18. It is just worse that they are all in one location. Easier for people with cars and forgiving jobs. Harder for people with rigid schedules and only public transportation options. How many hours would it take someone to get there from the farthest point?