First we would like to thank Sarah Firebaugh for her research and forwarding her findings to us.

Sara sent a question to the LRC and this is how the interaction went

*UPDATE New Information comming soon*

Question: How many times has the Independent Voter issue been before the Kentucky General Assembly since 1976, and what were the results?

Background: SB 53, an act that would allow Independent voters to cast votes in the primary, passed through the Senate in 2010.  This is the first time the measure has passed a chamber.  For many years, legislators have been trying to grant access to the primary races to voters registered as Independents.  Problems arise due to the fact that the primary nomination process is intended to select the best candidate to represent each party in the general election.  By allowing non party members to select their candidates, the winner could have diluted ideologies and be less able to compete against the other side.  According to the Kentucky Board of Elections, there are currently around 186, 000 registered Independents.  This number represents less than 8% of the voting population.  Despite the relatively small numbers of registered Independents, the Kentucky Independent voter movement has gained attention in the national media.  A CNN reporter followed the chairman of Independent Kentucky to the state capital and recorded his push for 2010’s Senate Bill 53.  Chairman Michael Lewis presented testimony in favor of SB 53 at the Senate State and Local Government Committee meeting on January 20, 2010 (IndependentKentucky.org).  This issue will most likely be addressed by the General Assembly in future sessions.

It has been a long road and an uphill battle over the last 2 years.Independent Kentucky has spearheaded the efforts for a Semi open primary in Kentucky.  We have been met with silent opposition from leaders in Frankfort. Let me explain this a little more.  Some Leaders in Frankfort are working to kill SB 53 as quickly and quietly as possible! I have made the calls and sent the emails with no reply. The Representatives that have answered or called back haven’t been very open to discussion. Could we be getting the cold shoulder, do they think like Senator Carroll “I could care less what they (Independents) want” is the way he expressed his feelings to CNN’s David Mattingly. Even though the Senate passed the legislation there were still plenty of lessons in politics. Sen. Kathy Stein dist 13 (Fayette co.) stood during discussion on SB 53 to ask if the Sen. Clay (Majority Floor Leader) would support restoring rights to former felons (HB 70). Now for someone trying to make the case for voting rights, when she was called to represent democracy she voted “NO” for SB 53. This is an example of mixed signals in Frankfort. There are party politics at play, here and across the country. The “Minority” Party is showing support while the “Majority” party is voting business as usual.

What the establishment hasn’t realized is Independent voters are here to stay. The leadership in Kentucky’s Democratic Party should make a statement about their senior senator and if they feel the same way, I believe they can learn something from Massachusetts. In a Democratic strong hold like Massachusetts it should be clear, don’t ignore the Independent voters! The message is clear, Deny us in the primary Lose us in the General!