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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsKentucky Votes Today. Here Are All the Ways Mitch McConnell Has Made That Harder.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/06/kentucky-votes-today-here-are-all-the-ways-mitch-mcconnell-has-made-that-harder/4 hours ago
Kentucky Votes Today. Here Are All the Ways Mitch McConnell Has Made That Harder.
The states senior senator has repeatedly refused to vote on bills to improve ballot access.
Ari Berman
Senior ReporterBio
Its been a primary season full of polling-place disasters, and as Kentuckians vote on Tuesday, theres reason to believe another one could be on the way. Amid coronavirus concerns, Kentucky has cut the number of polling places from its usual 3700 to just 200, with just one polling place each for the states two biggest cities, Louisville and Lexington. The likes of LeBron James have tweeted their dismay about the possibility of long lines and voter suppression.
The most-watched race in the state is the Democratic US Senate primary between Charles Booker and Amy McGrath to decide who will face off against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in November. Primary elections throughout the country this year have been marred by long lines and confusion over mail-in ballots, and Kentuckys may be no exception. But McConnell has been steadfast in blocking a series of bills passed by the Democratic-led House of Representatives that would make it easier to vote.
Here are the major bills McConnell is refusing to hold votes on:
In December 2019, the House passed a bill to restore and modernize the Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that states with a long history of voting discrimination no longer needed to approve their election changes with the federal government. It would require states like Georgia and Texaswhich have slashed hundreds of polling places in recent years, leading to six-hour lines at the pollsto seek federal approval for such potentially discriminatory election changes. McConnell has taken no action on the bill for 200 days and said in 2016 that he opposed reinstating the preclearance section of the VRA.
In May of this year, the House passed the Heroes Act, a coronavirus relief bill that would give $3.6 billion in election aid to help states run their elections in November. This would allow states to open more polling places, buy new voting equipment to handle a surge of mail-in ballots, and equip election workers with protective gear to shield them from coronavirus. It would also require states to expand vote-by-mail and have at least 15 days of early voting to guard against the spread of COVID-19 and would give the United States Postal Service $25 million to help with vote-by-mail. McConnell has yet to schedule a vote on it, saying only that the next round of coronavirus relief should be narrowly crafted. Republicans have also blocked consideration of the VoteSafe Act by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), which includes many similar election reforms.
McConnell has blocked three bills passed by the House aimed at preventing election interference. They would require campaigns to notify the FBI and Federal Election Commission if contacted by foreign actors and require states to use voting machines with paper backups. McConnell has been sharply criticized by election officials in his home state for blocking funding for election security.
McConnells opposition to these bills could have an outsize impact in Kentucky, where the Republican-controlled state legislature passed a new voter ID law for November that could make it more difficult to cast a ballot and is expected to disproportionately affect voters of color, who are less likely to possess the required photo IDs. The legislature also has yet to commit to expanding vote-by-mail for the general election. In 2016, Kentucky ranked 44th in MITs election performance index, which measures each states voter participation and ballot access. McConnells refusal to make it easier to vote amid an unprecedented public health crisis and widespread voting problems in the primaries will only increase the likelihood of an election meltdown in November.
niyad
(113,306 posts)Bengus81
(6,931 posts)Somehow someway people need to really get on top of this.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)believe the only thing that has ever really mattered to him is protecting and growing his own power for its own sake, not to advance an ideology. And his penultimate goal had always been the position he has now. Probably a sociopath.
McConnell has been China's man in congress since Tianmen and Russia's more recently. Of course their biggest efforts will be to defeat Democrats in November, but are they limiting to just the usual funding to keep McConnell in power?
RobertDevereaux
(1,857 posts)Last edited Tue Jun 23, 2020, 02:37 PM - Edit history (1)
Whichever wins this primary we must back to the hilt to take MM decisively down!
empedocles
(15,751 posts)Bayard
(22,073 posts)One polling place for each of our states biggest cities? That's just obscene.
leftieNanner
(15,100 posts)They should be able to get those 600,000 people through the line before the polls closed.
Glorfindel
(9,729 posts)One polling place each for Louisville and Lexington? Can't someone be held accountable for this travesty?
empedocles
(15,751 posts)will booker every way he can.
Pantagruel
(2,580 posts)"Voting on Election Day
Voting by mail-in ballot is the preferred method. Only vote in person on Election Day if you absolutely need to.
June 23, 2020, from 6 a.m. 6 p.m.
Kroger Field will be the only voting location for Lexington/Fayette County. No other voting precincts will be open on this day.
Voting will take place inside the Central Bank Field Club. Voters may enter through either Gate 10 or Gate 11. Parking is available in the Blue Lot. For the safety of all voters, we ask that you wear a mask. Additionally, remember to bring your ID.
Lextran will run a special route from the Transit Center to Kroger Field on Election Day for those individuals who need transportation to vote. Lextran is providing this as a free service for Lexington voters. The first shuttle will depart Bay 6 of the Downtown Transit Center at 6 a.m. It will depart thereafter every 15-20 minutes. The last shuttle will depart Kroger Field at 6:45 p.m.
Remember, you cannot be turned away from voting if you are in line before 6 p.m.
Bayard
(22,073 posts)Gov. Beshear can't do anything about it?
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)was only available to a few, and it's probable many didn't realize they could. KY also allowed a scant 3 days of early voting right before election day -- Friday, Saturday, Monday, or join the final lines today.
We'd have early-voted, but I'm wondering how 'we'd handle it if there were long lines no matter which day we went? There are a fair number of people like me who genuinely cannot take heat and UV rays. Getting in line before 6 would leave 3 hours to sundown, so best course would be to arrive in the middle of the night, when no doubt lines already started forming.
Bring chairs (how do so many older people stand for 6 and more hours?!), UV-protective coverings and sunscreen, umbrella, water, medication, cooling packs, fan with spare batteries, spare masks, reading material..., and keep shifting camp every few minutes for several hours. Whatever it took.
Kaleva
(36,301 posts)bdamomma
(63,849 posts)out of these guys, they all need to go to prison. White collar crime runs amok!