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Kentucky election officials say noncitizens aren’t voting in the state • Kentucky Lantern

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Kentucky election officials say noncitizens aren’t voting in the state • Kentucky Lantern


Kentucky election officials on Tuesday told lawmakers they know of no instances of noncitizens having voted in Kentucky. Nonetheless, Kentucky is among a number of states where voters in November will be asked to ban noncitizens from voting in elections. 

Michael Adams. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

The officials, including Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams, also described existing safeguards to ensure that only U.S. citizens cast ballots. They spoke during a meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on State Government, whose main agenda item was “Kentucky Agencies and Illegal Immigration.” 

Earlier this year, the Republican-controlled General Assembly approved putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot specifying that noncitizens of the U.S. cannot vote in Kentucky. Similar measures will appear on the November ballot in Idaho, Missouri, South Carolina and Wisconsin. Republicans in Congress are pushing to require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Critics say the attention paid to something that rarely, if ever, happens is a political ploy to tap into anti-immigrant sentiment and motivate Republican voters. 

The proposed constitutional amendment to clarify that noncitizens of the U.S. cannot vote in Kentucky elections will appear on the November ballot alongside another — the amendment to allow the General Assembly to fund nonpublic schools, which was a Republican priority in this year’s legislative session. 

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Though noncitizens can vote in few local elections, GOP goes big to make it illegal

Adams said election laws to prevent noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections have enjoyed “wide consensus.” He pointed to a law signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 that prohibited noncitizens from voting in federal elections.

“Kentucky’s Constitution implies — although it does not state — that noncitizens cannot vote in Kentucky’s state and local elections,” Adams said. 

He added that in his time as secretary of state, he had “seen no evidence that noncitizens have voted or attempted to vote in our elections, but that does not mean we should not be concerned about this issue and fail to take proper precautionary measures.” Adams was elected to a second term last year. 

Taylor Brown, general counsel for the State Board of Elections, said there are various steps in the voter registration process that deter noncitizens from registering. Anyone checking a box saying they aren’t a U.S. citizen is redirected to not register. Someone who lies or provides false information could face felony perjury charges. 

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“In sum, (the) State Board of Elections cannot report any known encounters when an undocumented immigrant has successfully made it through the voter registration application process to become an active voter here in Kentucky,” Brown said. “That is not to say that it is impossible though.” 

Brown said a recent law passed by the legislature requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to provide various agencies, including the elections board, with a monthly list of people excused from jury duty for not being a U.S. citizen. A noncitizen found to have registered to vote would be purged from the voter roll and law enforcement could pursue criminal charges, such as perjury. 

Tabatha Clemons

Grant County Clerk Tabatha Clemons, president of the Kentucky County Clerks Association, said the group surveyed its members about cases of noncitizens successfully voting in Kentucky, but found none. 

“We had one county who reported having a person show up to vote who could not produce identification, and in turn, they were offered to go get identification or to have a hearing with the county board of elections — neither of which took place,” she said. 

Speaking about the voter registration process, Adams told lawmakers that Kentucky’s photo ID law was the “best tool in preventing noncitizen voting.” He added that he would support future legislation to allow the State Board of Elections to cross-reference Department of Motor Vehicle records with voter rolls to identify legal immigrants who may have registered to vote. 

In Kentucky, legal immigrants can get a driver’s license and would have a Social Security number to do so. A Social Security number is also needed to register to vote. 

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“American elections are for American citizens,” Adams said. “Each of us takes an oath to support the Constitution of this commonwealth, and even now that constitution evinces a desire to prevent noncitizens from voting in Kentucky elections.” 



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Alleged Kentucky deadbeat dad who owes over $100K in child support arrested getting off cruise ship in Miami

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Alleged Kentucky deadbeat dad who owes over 0K in child support arrested getting off cruise ship in Miami


An alleged deadbeat dad who was on the run and owed more than $100,000 in child support was arrested last week as he exited a cruise ship in Miami, authorities said. 

Dominic Weaver, a Kentucky resident, had been on the lam for more than 10 years when his holiday vacation ended after being taken into custody and brought back to Louisville, WDRB-TV reported. 

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Row of cruise ships docked at Port of Miami. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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Detectives from a local child support division flew to Miami and eventually brought Weaver back to the Bluegrass State.

“I don’t know when he left, but he fled the jurisdiction, and from the date of his sentence until today, and even today, he’s not paid one cent of child support,” Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell said. 

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Dominic Weaver mugshot

Dominic Weaver, 47, was arrested in Miami while exiting a cruise ship over thousands owed in back child support, authorities said. (Louisville Metro Department of Corrections)

Weaver, 47, owes somewhere between $114,000 and $120,000 in child support, according to O’Connell.

O’Connell said Weaver has a total of four cases with the child support division.

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“Two more of those are ready for indictment again of more felonies,” O’Connell said.

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O’Connell said he planned to ask a judge to revoke Weaver’s original sentence and ask that he be sentenced to four years in prison. 



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WATCH: Kentucky five-star signee Jasper Johnson sinks longest shot in OTE history

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WATCH: Kentucky five-star signee Jasper Johnson sinks longest shot in OTE history


One of the most exciting players committed to the Kentucky in the 2025 class is five-star guard Jasper Johnson. He is a Kentucky native but plays his current hoops for OTE in Atlanta where he is playing some great basketball.

So far on the season, Johnson is averaging 21 points, 5.6 assists, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Johnson is shooting 50.4% from the field and 40.4% from three on the year. The sharpshooter has proven why he will be perfect for Mark Pope’s system.

Recently, in a game, Johnson had only a few seconds before the third quarter clock expired, so he threw up a shot from the three-point line of the other end of the floor and sank it for three. This is the type of shot that would send Rupp Arena into a frenzy.

Let’s take a look at the circus shot that Kentucky signee Johnson hit in one of his recent OTE games.

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Here is the scouting report on Johnson from Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports, “Johnson is a southpaw scoring guard with solid positional size at 6-foot-4, a long 6-foot-8-inch wingspan, and a still lean frame. He’s smooth, slippery, and has extremely soft natural touch in all aspects of his individual offense. He’s a shot-maker first and foremost, with a high-arcing ball and great rotation. He’s capable of making some very tough shots off the catch and the dribble, including deep step-backs, and will also have a ton of gravity as a floor-spacing threat. He made 41% of his threes during his junior year at Link Academy, and while that number decreased to 28% during the recent EYBL season, that was more a reflection of his shot selection, with close to 8 attempts per game. He’s very crafty in the mid-range area, with a deep bag of runners, floaters, and wrong-footed finishes.”





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'He punched the baby in the head’: Kentucky father sentenced for killing 1-year-old over video game loss – Times of India

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'He punched the baby in the head’: Kentucky father sentenced for killing 1-year-old over video game loss – Times of India


Anthony Trice and the victim child (Picture credit: X)

A Kentucky man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday for the brutal killing of his one-month-old son, who he punched in the head after losing a video game. Anthony Trice, 32, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Jefferson Circuit Court, concluding a chilling case that exposed the horrifying extent of violence inflicted on the infant.
The night of violence
The tragic incident unfolded on May 3, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky. Trice, left alone to care for his infant son, flew into a rage after losing a video game. In a fit of uncontrolled anger, he threw his controller across the room and then punched the baby in the head with his fist, causing devastating injuries.
As the child cried in distress, Trice attempted to prepare a bottle but dropped the infant during the process, further injuring him. Instead of seeking immediate medical help, he propped the baby up with a bottle in a bedroom and left to use the bathroom. By the time he returned, the infant was in severe distress. Trice called 911, and the baby was rushed to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

From criminal abuse to manslaughter
Initially charged with criminal abuse, Trice’s charges escalated to first-degree murder following the child’s death. Court records revealed the brutality of the attack, which left the baby fatally injured. Trice eventually entered an Alford plea to manslaughter, maintaining his innocence but conceding that evidence against him was sufficient for a conviction.

Family’s heartbreak
The baby’s family, devastated by the events, recalled their shock and disbelief. Speaking to WLKY, the child’s aunt shared that the baby had been left with Trice while the family attended Kentucky Derby weekend festivities. “We were talking about the clothes he got and what we were about to get him,” she said, still struggling to comprehend the violence that unfolded.
The child’s grandmother also expressed her outrage. “I’m mad,” she said. “I would have never thought this would happen to our family.”





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