Election precinct legislation introduced in House

Designed to correct a potential issue

(Story Courtesy of Kentucky Today)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Legislation was introduced in the Kentucky House on Thursday designed to correct a potential issue created by action taken by the Kentucky Board of Elections, regarding the assigning of precinct numbers.

House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, says back during the COVID years, county reapportionment had to be delayed, because the numbers couldn’t be done in time.

“The counties, in many cases, split precincts and changed precinct numbers,” according to Osborne.  “The State Board of Elections made all the changes as they came in, so people who have already filed their candidacy paperwork, even though they may not have moved, or the precincts haven’t changed, the precinct number may have changed.”

He cited as an example, people who lived in precinct A 101 may now be in B 101.

“There’s no danger in the world that anybody would be kicked off the ballot because of it,” Osborne continued, “but this is an effort to make sure that nobody gets sued.  We didn’t find this out until yesterday, and after consulting with attorneys, figured this was the best way to head off any potential problems.”

He added no one will have to file because of this.

The measure had its first reading on Thursday but has not yet been assigned to a committee.

House Bill 161 includes an emergency clause, meaning it would take effect immediately after it clears both the House and Senate and is signed into law by the governor.  If the governor should veto the measure, it will also become law if both chambers override the veto, which can be accomplished with a simple majority affirmative vote.