EKB News

KENTUCKY...
Kentucky will have 2,885,775 citizens appear on its voter rolls for the November 2nd general election. That number is the second highest total of registered voters in the Commonwealth’s history, just slightly lower than the record set during the 2008 general election, which totaled 2,906,809. There were 2,851,996 citizens registered to vote in the 2010 primary election and 2,766,288 in the 2006 general election, the most recent comparable election cycle.


“We are confident that Kentucky has one of the best voter registration databases in the country, and these registration figures reflect our efforts to ensure a fair and honest election in the Commonwealth,” stated Secretary of State Trey Grayson. “While we would like to see these numbers increase to historic levels, we must also be mindful that our voter rolls must be continually updated to reflect those voters who are deceased, have moved away, or must be removed from the rolls for other lawful reasons.”


The registration totals are a net increase of 33,779 voters from those who were registered to vote in the 2010 primary election, increasing the voter rolls by 1.18%. In comparison, voter registration figures increased by a net of 49,578, or 1.74%, from the 2008 primary election to the 2008 general election. The 2010 increase is considerably lower than the 2.08% increase that the registration figures saw in 2006, the last comparable election cycle.


Registration figures continued to show little change in the percentage of male and female voters with females representing nearly 53% of the registration population and males representing 47%.


In terms of party registration, Democrats, Republicans, and “Others” increased their number of registered voters by 0.39%, 2.17%, and 2.56% since May of 2010, respectively. Democrats increased their voters by 6,350 to 1,624,361. Republicans increased their voters by 22,665 to 1,067,537. “Others” increased their voters by 4,758 to 193,871.


Republicans and “Others” increased their percentages of the Kentucky voter rolls as they now comprise 36.99% and 6.72% of Kentucky voters, respectively. That is an increase of 0.35% and 0.09% since the 2010 primary election, respectively. Democrats saw their percentage decrease 0.48% since the 2010 primary election to 56.29%. Those percentages have set records in modern Kentucky history with Republicans and Others being higher than ever before and Democrats being lower.


Compared to the 2006 general election registration figures, there has been a net increase of 119,487 in total voters, or 4.32%; 46,088 in Democratic voters, or 2.92%; 56,351 in Republican voters, or 5.57%; and 17,042 “Other” voters, or 9.64%. Democrats, Republicans, and “Others” represented 57.05%, 36.55%, and 6.39% of the electorate in November of 2006, respectively. Since November of 2006, the percentage of the electorate has changed -0.76% for Democrats, 0.44% for Republicans, and 0.33% for “Others” as compared to current percentages of Kentucky registered voters.


Secretary Grayson noted that the election’s focus now shifts to getting people to the polls on Election Day. “Now that the registration books are closed, we must work diligently to see that every registered Kentuckian votes in the November 2, 2010 general election.”


Grayson encouraged citizens to utilize the Voter Information Center (VIC) on the State Board of Election’s website to confirm their voter registration status and to locate their polling place. For complete registration statistics, including county and district registration statistics, as well as additional election information including the VIC, please visit www.elect.ky.gov.