Secretary of State
Online Services Aid Voters for Upcoming Election

(Frankfort, KY) Haven’t heard much about the upcoming primary election in Kentucky?  No problem!  Kentuckians have access to multiple online services which will allow voters to prepare for the election.  Citizens can view sample ballots online, get access to candidate information, check their voter registration, determine whether they are eligible to vote in the primary, and obtain driving directions to their polling location – all by visiting the online presence of the Office of the Secretary of State: www.sos.ky.gov.  

“Our goal is to make information about the voting process as accessible as possible,” stated Secretary of State Trey Grayson.  “Our online services allow citizens to better educate themselves about the candidates and initiatives for which they will be voting on Election Day and have access to pertinent voting information for the elections process.”

The Office of the Secretary of State worked with County Clerks across the Commonwealth as well as with election services providers, Harp Enterprises and Kentuckiana Election Services, to place election ballots on the web.  All of Kentucky counties’ sample ballots are now available online.

The Office of the Secretary of State also offers a candidate registrar database where voters can view information about candidates that file with the Office of the Secretary of State.  Most of those candidates have their photos, email addresses, and links to their campaign websites.  The registrar database also serves as a confirmation service of official candidates along with the Office of the Secretary of State Election Security Seal Program.  

The Security Seal program, a first-in-the nation online service, is a new effort to protect voters from fraudulent campaign websites. Official candidates who have filed with the Office of the Secretary of State have the option to place an encrypted seal of the Secretary of State onto their site.  When a visitor clicks on the seal, it will redirect them to a site for official authentication.   In providing the latest in encryption services, the program delivers trust, confidence, as well as peace of mind among voters and candidates as they become secured and certified interactive online participants.  During the 2004 elections, it is estimated that 75 million Americans used the Internet to obtain political news and information, making the Internet and online campaigning a top focus and communications medium for politicians and political groups.

Kentuckians who do not know where they are supposed to vote can find their voter information via the State Board of Elections website’s Voter Information Center (VIC).  The VIC can provide information on a particular registered voter’s polling location, party registration, eligibility to vote in the primary election, and driving directions from the registered address to the polling location.  The service can now be accessed from many mobile devices.

“It is particularly important for voters to verify the address of their polling location and to check their eligibility to vote in the upcoming primary,” noted Grayson.  Voters who changed their political affiliation after December 31, 2007 are only eligible to vote in non-partisan primaries.  “Checking this information before Election Day can reduce confusion before a citizen heads to the polls.”

Other elections services that Kentuckians can find online include the Election Night Tally system, where citizens can access up to the minute unofficial results of the election, as well as general information about the election process in Kentucky and the Help America Vote Act.

Citizens can access the Office of the Secretary of State website at www.sos.ky.gov.  That site also contains a link to the State Board of Elections website, www.elect.ky.gov, and the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance website, www.kref.ky.gov, where other election information is located.

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