FRANKFORT, Ky. - A Franklin Circuit Court Judge has ordered the Kentucky State Board of Elections to do away with an “inactive” voter list containing around 175,000 Kentuckians.
Judge Thomas Wingate provided injunctive relief requested by KDP Monday afternoon. The party filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging the State Board of Elections was undermining the “integrity of the electoral process” buy burdening the constitutional rights of voters placed on the list.
Anna Whites, the filing attorney, argued requiring voters to use an oath of voter card could dissuade some Kentuckians from voting in the November election. Judge Wingate agreed.
“The use of the oath of voter cards is unnecessary and has a strong chilling effect on voters in the Commonwealth,” his order read.
Judge Wingate ordered the State Board of Elections to utilize one Master Voter List and place an asterisk by the names of voters who were previously on the inactive list, this would alert poll workers to confirm the voter’s address.
After the court hearing Monday morning, Dearing expressed concern with introducing a new process just three weeks before the election.
The Kentucky Democratic Party is celebrating the quick ruling by Judge Wingate.
“It’s critical that Kentucky voters have a clear understanding of the process for voting on November 5th, no matter their party,” KDP chair Ben Self said in a statement. “The Kentucky Democratic Party is committed to making sure that while the state is updating the voter rolls the rights of Kentucky voters are protected and all state laws are followed during the process so that voters do not face any unnecessary or unfair burdens at the polls.”