GOP reports claim that 500 people offerd $35 each to haul voters
Despite concerns of voter fraud, the Republican Party of Kentucky is betting Hillary Clinton’s anti-coal remarks have helped Donald Trump’s popularity and that will trickle down the ballot today.
Mac Brown, chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky, released a statement Monday morning concerning the eastern part of the state, where several cases of election fraud and vote-buying schemes have occurred.
“We have received numerous calls about a meeting held in eastern Kentucky last week where a commitment was made to pay 500 people $35 each to work as ‘vote haulers’ on Election Day. There is a legitimate need to provide transportation to the polls for voters, especially in eastern Kentucky where voters can often live an hour or more from their polling place,” Brown said.
“However, there is also a well-known and recent history of vote-buying in the region. We hope law enforcement will redouble their efforts throughout the region so that the people of eastern Kentucky can be assured that their elections are being contested freely and fairly.”
Republican officials declined to comment on where the reported meeting occurred or who attended.
In 2006, the Bath County judge-executive was one of 10 county residents charged with election-related charges, including conspiracy to buy votes, making false statements to a federal agent, and obstruction. A federal grand jury had indicted the county official on a vote-buying scheme in the primaries.
During the 2016 primaries, 31 counties throughout the commonwealth reported election fraud. Five Magoffin County residents were charged in 2016 as part of a vote-fraud scheme that involved allegedly adding 60 votes in 2014 for a state representative candidate.
Attorney General Andy Beshear’s office reported receiving 20 election-related calls from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1.
By law, the Attorney General’s Office can only give out the county and the complaint and cannot release details of the complaints or possible pending investigations.
Calls from Adair, Floyd and Marion counties involved general election fraud, while accusations of vote bullying/selling/bribery calls came from Campbell and Perry counties.
While Brown asked that Kentuckians remain vigilant about voting irregularities, GOP spokesman Tres Watson said that damaging remarks Clinton made concerning the coal industry during the primary may affect races at the state level.
“We feel very optimistic about our chances in Kentucky’s coal-producing regions,” Watson said. “Kentuckians are suffering under the Obama-Clinton war on coal and they are ready to vote against Democratic candidates at all levels of government.”
The GOP will battle several Democratic incumbents in the eastern part of the state, including the 95th House District held by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, who praised Clinton after the Kentucky Democratic Party suffered several key losses in last year’s elections.
KDP Chair state Rep. Sannie Overly, D-Paris, released a statement ahead of the election Monday urging people to vote.
“This is a critical election for Kentuckians,” said Overly. “We need balance in state government, and we must have a check to the abuse of power we’ve seen from Gov. Bevin, who, along with other Republicans, has been set on cutting education and stripping health care from hundreds of thousands of working Kentuckians. Voters must take a stand against those hurtful and devastating actions, and vote Democrat up and down the ticket.”
Stumbo did not respond to requests for comment. Spokesman Brian Wilkerson said Stumbo had been out campaigning all day Monday.
All House seats are up for re-election with 64 contested races, including 22 seats currently held by Republicans and 42 held by Democrats.
Democrats have kept a 95-year grip on the House since 1921, and it remains the last chamber in the South with a Democratic majority.
Franklin County Clerk Jeff Hancock told The State Journal there have been no instances of voter fraud reported during the four elections since he has been in office.
Kentuckians who witness and election irregularities or possible election law violations should call the Election Fraud Hotline at 800-328-VOTE or 800-328-8683.
By Brad Bowman
The State Journal
Attorney General: 64 calls to vote fraud hotline by midday
Multiple voter calls to the county and the state hotline were coming in with a variety of questions and concerns.
By 10:30 a.m. the Attorney General’s voter fraud hotline had already received 64 calls, up from 60 the morning of the 2012 election. To report problems with voting, call the election fraud hotline, 800-328-8683. The hotline is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST today to accommodate voters in the Central time zone.
