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Kentucky’s process for purging voter rolls challenged in federal court; Adams fights back – NKyTribune

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Kentucky’s process for purging voter rolls challenged in federal court; Adams fights back – NKyTribune


The outside of the Sugar Maple Square polling site in Bowling Green, May 21, 2024. (Photo by Austin Anthony, Kentucky Lantern)

By McKenna Horsley
Kentucky Lantern

A grassroots advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against Kentucky election officials alleging the state’s process for removing voters from rolls violates federally protected voting rights. 

The state’s top election official responded that undoing the law during a presidential election year would “sow chaos and doubt.” 

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Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC) filed the lawsuit last week in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky against Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams and the State Board of Elections, which includes Republican and Democratic members. 

Secretary of State Michael Adams (Photo from Kentucky Today)

The complaint alleges that Kentucky’s election law, which was changed in response to the coronavirus pandemic and became permanent in 2021, violates the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. KFTC says the federal act requires registered voters who have moved to receive notice in writing to confirm their address and have time to respond before they are removed from voter rolls. Kentucky’s law “flagrantly violates these requirements,” KFTC argues, by not giving voters notice before removal. 

Adams issued a statement Tuesday saying he plans to defend the law in court. The 2021 changes, known as House Bill 574, were signed into law by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. 

“Kentucky’s elections are a national success story,” Adams said. “Three years ago, Kentucky enacted a bipartisan law to prevent voting in more than one state in a presidential election. Now that a presidential election is underway, a fringe left-wing activist group is trying to undo that law and sow chaos and doubt in our elections. We believe voters should vote in only one state, and we expect to prevail in court.”

In addition to the removal process, the 2021 state law also has provisions for no-excuse in-person early voting and updates to regulations for absentee ballots. 

The secretary of state also said that 4,362 individuals had been removed from the voter rolls in June. Of that group, 3,030 were deceased, 603 were convicted of felonies, 554 had moved out of the state, 78 voluntarily deregistered, 52 were duplicate registrations and 45 were adjudged mentally incompetent.

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KFTC is asking the court to permanently enjoin election officials from canceling voter registrations without following provisions required by federal law. 

The group’s lawsuit also says it registered more than 2,000 new voters during last year’s governor’s race and plans to “directly register even more prospective voters due to the presidential race.” 

KFTC will hire 15 people across the state for this year’s voter registration program, which includes field training and webinars. 

Founded in 1981, KFTC’s mission is to “challenge and change unfair political, economic and social systems by working for a new balance of power and a just society.”

Read Kentuckians for the Commonwealth v. Michael Adams

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

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4 killed in shooting at birthday party in Kentucky; suspect dead following police chase

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4 killed in shooting at birthday party in Kentucky; suspect dead following police chase


FLORENCE, Ky. (WXIX/Gray News) – Seven people were shot, four of them killed, during a shooting in Kentucky early Saturday morning.

Police officers responded to a house in Florence, Kentucky, at about 3 a.m. following reports of an “active shooter,” according to the Florence Police Department.

Seven people were found at the scene with gunshot wounds, the department said.

Four of the seven were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Florence Police Chief Jeff Mallery identified them as 19-year-old Delaney Eary, 20-year-old Hayden Rybicki, 44-year-old Melissa Parret and 20-year-old Shane Miller.

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The other three victims remain hospitalized. They are expected to recover, Mallery reported.

The lone suspected shooter, identified by Mallery as 21-year-old Chase Garvey, drove off from the scene, but police reported officers “quickly” found his vehicle and a chase ensued.

Florence police said he eventually crashed his car in a ditch and fled the scene.

Garvey was reportedly found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Florence police.

He was taken to the hospital, where he died, according to police.

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The shooting happened during a birthday for Parrett’s 21-year-old child, according to the chief.

Garvey was not invited to the party but did know those celebrating, Chief Mallery reported.



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Disturbance call leads to arrest of Gilbertsville man

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Disturbance call leads to arrest of Gilbertsville man


By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 06, 2024 | 04:30 AM
| MARSHALL COUNTY

A disturbance call Friday on Little Bear Highway in Marshall County led to the arrest of a Gilbertsville man.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, 39-year-old Jacob “Drew” Does was arrested on assault charges when deputies arrived at the scene.

They report that an adult victim was injured during the assault, and taken to a hospital for treatment.

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A child was also reportedly assaulted by Does, and was taken to another location.

Does allegedly tried to assault deputies, and after being placed in a police cruiser, attempted to break out the windows.

He was also charged with criminal mischief, terroristic threatening, endangering the welfare of a minor, and menacing.

At the time of his arrest, Does was out on a personal recognizance bond for a pending criminal mischief charge.



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David Spade channels Joe Dirt at Kentucky fireworks stand

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David Spade channels Joe Dirt at Kentucky fireworks stand


July 4th may officially be over, but the fireworks will continue through at least the weekend. If you’ve purchased fireworks this millinia, there’s a decent chance you had a quote from the 2001 classic Joe Dirt running through your mind as you surveyed the options. If you were at a certain fireworks stand in the state of Kentucky last weekend, you may have even heard Joe Dirt himself recite it.

David Spade, who brought the mulleted janitor to life over two decades ago, performed at the Lexington Opera House last Sunday. On his way in or out of town, he stopped at a fireworks stand and recreated the scene from Joe Dirt in which Dirt gives a fireworks salesman grief over his limited selection. He had his phone camera rolling as he walked into the tent and recited the lines much to the surprise of the people running it.

“You’re gonna stand there…” he begins the famous line as the woman behind the table recognizes him. “Do a lot of people say that?”

Space interlaced his video with the scene from the movie in which Dirt rattles off a seemingly endless list of fireworks.

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“You’re gonna stand there, ownin’ a fireworks stand, and tell me you don’t have no whistlin’ bungholes, no spleen splitters, whisker biscuits, honkey lighters, hoosker doos, hoosker don’ts, cherry bombs, nipsy daisers, with or without the scooter stick, or one single whistlin’ kitty chaser?”

The saleswoman does show him “The Godfather,” a mega variety pack worth $899, marked down from $1300.

“You think I’ve got that kind of money?!” he exclaims.

Spade continues to tour the stand, reading off various items in his Joe Dirt drawl. We never find out what he purchased, but it’s clear he gave the woman running that fireworks stand a story to tell for years to come.



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