On Monday afternoon, Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas D. Wingate ordered the board of elections to have only one list of voters on election day.
In an attempt to begin cleaning up the state's voter rolls, the board in September placed 175,000 people on a separate list. Court documents show those voters would be asked to complete a voter oath card and sign the supplemental roster before casting their ballot in November, but the Democratic Party claimed that the list and additional step at precincts could disenfranchise voters.
Judge Wingate agreed, saying, "While the court agrees that it is vitally necessary to keep voters' addresses updated, the Court and Plaintiff disagree on the method the State Board of Elections is following."
The ruling also said that the process hasn't been approved yet, and any changes to voter lists must take place 90 days before an election, so the court said the best practice would be to return to status quo, and use only one voter list. Judge Wingate suggested that an asterisk be placed next to the names of those who need address information to be updated so that precinct workers can speak to them about it, but requiring a card be completed, "is unnecessary and has a strong chilling effect on voters in the Commonwealth."
The ruling also said, "the Court must emphasize that despite the Court's disagreement with the process the State Board of Elections is using to 'clean up,' Kentucky's voter rolls, the Court does not believe that the State Board of Elections is attempting to disenfranchise Kentucky voters through its selected process."
Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, who was removed from the board earlier this year by legislators, opposed what she called an, "inactive voter list," and applauded Monday's ruling. Her attorney said if Grimes were still on the board, she would have prevented bureaucrats from creating the list.
The Secretary of State was removed from the board after two of its employees accused the current office holder of wielding excessive power and using her access to the voter database for political purposes. An investigation into the allegations led to the seizure of an employee's computer as evidence last month.
Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, who was removed from the board earlier this year by legislators, opposed what she called an, "inactive voter list," and applauded Monday's ruling. Her attorney said if Grimes were still on the board, she would have prevented bureaucrats from creating the list.
The Secretary of State was removed from the board after two of its employees accused the current office holder of wielding excessive power and using her access to the voter database for political purposes. An investigation into the allegations led to the seizure of an employee's computer as evidence last month.
You can read the entire court ruling by clicking on the link below.
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Court Ruling on KDP Injunction Motion
