Les Fugate, Director of Communications    
Office of the Secretary of State   
(502) 564-3490    
les.fugate@ky.gov

The Kentucky State Board of Elections met today in Frankfort and as part of the agenda nominated the following presidential preference primary candidates who have qualified, as of January 13, 2004, for federal matching funds according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) guidelines:

Wesley K. Clark (D)

John R. Edwards (D)

Richard A. Gephardt (D)

Dennis J. Kucinich (D)

Lyndon H. LaRouche (D)

Joseph Lieberman (D)

The above candidates will be notified immediately of today’s nomination and will appear on the primary ballot provided they return to the Secretary of State a completed notice of candidacy and filing fee of $1,000 by no later than 4:00 p.m., January 13, 2004.

Other candidates may qualify to appear on either the democratic or republican presidential primary ballot by filing a petition with the Secretary of State’s office, by certification of the FEC that the candidate has qualified for matching funds before the filing deadline, or by evidencing that they are qualified to appear on the primary ballot of at least twenty other states.

Also, today George W. Bush filed his petition and filing fee in order to appear on the primary ballot.  Bush declined to participate in the Matching Fund program.

The primary election in Kentucky will be held on May 18, 2004.