Local Kentucky elections officials concerned over GOP bill pushing extensive changes
A sweeping elections bill passed a House committee Thursday after the Kentucky County Clerks Association urged lawmakers to vote against the measure over fears the extensive changes would be too difficult for state and local officials to implement ahead of the swiftly approaching May primaries.
“This would result in significant changes to the Kentucky election law only weeks before the May primary and after some absentee ballots, probably quite a few, have already been submitted to the county clerk,” President of the Kentucky County Clerks Association Danetta Allen said. “This would create confusion for both the voter and the administrators alike.”
The bill would have state officials enter into new federal agreements for citizen verification, allow county officials to publicly upload scanned ballot images and let judicial candidates to identify themselves as a Republican or Democrat in nonpartisan races.
That’s a slice of the 44-page bill that passed a House committee Thursday where lawmakers voted along largely partisan lines to advance it. Several Republicans who voted “yes” expressed hopes there would be amendments on the House floor, while some Democrats said they found the bill unnecessary.
https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-02-19/local-kentucky-elections-officials-concerned-over-gop-bill-pushing-extensive-changes