Secretary of State
House Takes Steps to Protect Kentucky Voters from Fraud

(Frankfort, KY) The Kentucky House Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs committee wasted no time during the 2006 legislative session in attacking fraud in the Kentucky elections process.  The committee acted today to protect Kentucky elections from fraudulent “pay-per-card” voter registration techniques that ran rampant across the country in previous elections by passing House Bill 301, sponsored by Rep. Adrian Arnold (D-Mount Sterling). 

            “Pay-per-card” voter registration is when individuals are paid for each voter registration card that they turn into a sponsoring organization.  This commission-based registration technique resulted in numerous registration issues across the country during the 2004 presidential election.  Most commonly, the individuals gathering the registration cards filled out cards for imaginary individuals in order to increase their payment. 

            “Kentucky avoided this type of rampant fraud in the 2004 election cycle and with the work of the General Assembly, I hope to never see it in the Commonwealth.  ” stated Secretary of State Trey Grayson.  “I want to thank Chairman Arnold for sponsoring this important piece of my legislative package and commend the entire committee for their quick action.”

            House Bill 301 prohibits the paying of individuals based upon the number of voters registered and designates the violation of the law as a Class B misdemeanor.

            “This bill will also empower citizens who conduct voter registration drives in a manner that is not so apt for fraud.  I encourage those citizens to continue to actively register voters and to work to increase our voter turnout in future elections,” Grayson remarked.

            The Kentucky General Assembly and Secretary Grayson worked diligently last year to eradicate fraud from Kentucky’s election process by creating an electioneering-free zone around polling locations. 

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