Attorney General Cameron Announces Twelve Randomly Selected Kentucky Counties to Undergo 2022 Post-General Election Audits

Counties that received an audit during primary election were not included in the general primary audit

FRANKFORT, Ky. (November 28, 2022) – Attorney General Daniel Cameron today announced that, consistent with state law, twelve randomly-selected Kentucky counties will undergo a 2022 post-general election audit. The audits will be conducted by the Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Jefferson, Webster, Shelby, Rowan, Oldham, Laurel, LaRue, Owen, Anderson, Christian, Daviess, and Breathitt Counties to determine if any irregularities took place during the 2022 general election.  

“Our office is committed to protecting the integrity of our elections by conducting post-election audits,” said Attorney General Cameron. “I am thankful to our Department of Criminal Investigations, the county clerks, and their staff for working together to perform these audits to ensure Kentucky’s elections remain free and fair.”

During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 216, which amended KRS 15.243 to expand the Attorney General's independent inquiry of potential election irregularities from not fewer than five percent of Kentucky counties to not fewer than 12 counties.  Today, these twelve counties were randomly selected in a public forum within twenty days of the 2022 general election, as the statute requires.

Kentucky law prohibits counties from being audited in two consecutive elections.  Counties audited following the 2022 primary election were not eligible for today's drawing and include: Nicholas, Monroe, Graves, Metcalfe, Jackson, Hopkins, Pendleton, Boyd, Madison, Powell, Rockcastle, and Grayson Counties. The post-election audits conducted by DCI in each of these counties did not uncover any criminal conduct. 

After completing independent investigations in each of the twelve counties drawn today, DCI and the Attorney General’s Office of Special Prosecutions will present their findings to the grand jury and chief circuit judge of each audited county.  

Today’s public drawing was live-streamed and can be viewed on the Attorney General’s YouTube Channel. 

The Attorney General’s office monitors potential election law violations throughout the year through the Election Fraud Hotline. Hotline complaints related to the November 2022 general election can be viewed by visiting ag.ky.gov/Election-Hotline-Updates. If you suspect election fraud, report the incident to the hotline by calling 1-800-328-VOTE.