TWW Louisville Coffee Break Activism November Focus - Voting

             

Did you know that a registered Independent cannot

cast a vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary in Kentucky?

Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, but sadly far too few people vote. Even fewer people understand the voting process or how their local participation affects the political party with which they align themselves. This, in turn, affects their representation. Low participation in the last gubernatorial election resulted in the election of Governor Bevin.

Nationally, the 2016 election saw only about 55% of registered voters casting ballots, and look where that got us. Compare that to 2008 when a record high 64% of voting age citizens cast a ballot. Detailed information on the 2016 election in Jefferson County can be found here and state information can be found here.

In Kentucky we have a closed primary system, which means that the selection of a party's candidates for an election is limited to registered party members. During a primary, voters can only cast a ballot for someone belonging to the same political party as the voter. An independent cannot cast a vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary.

The good news is that voters can change their party affiliation prior to the election so long as that change is made at least 29 days prior to the election, and those changes, along with registering to vote, can now be done for Kentuckians online here.  

If you aren’t sure where you vote, you can find out here. This site will also give you links to the names of all your state, local, and federal representatives when you enter your home address.

LINK ABOVE

                                  

Let’s talk for a minute about how Jefferson County, KY, looks from a voter and representation perspective…

We have 18 State Legislative Districts  that are segmented into 623 voting precincts where voters cast their ballots based on their home address. We also have 10 State Senatorial Districts.

In Jefferson County KY we are part of the 3rd and 4th U.S. Congressional Districts. The entire state votes for Kentucky’s two U.S. Senators.

As we move into the 2018/19/20 election cycles we need to be more educated, more motivated, and more ready than we have ever been to get more voters to the polls to help us put our community, state, and nation back on the path of progress.

For the past three decades voters have been disproportionately of higher income, older and more partisan in their interests. Parallel to participation gaps are widening gaps in wealth, reduced opportunity for youth and frustration with the polarization in politics. How would our world be different if everyone participated?

If you feel as we do -- that we need more voters who reflect our values and who represent a deeper more diverse community -- then we invite you to join us for Voter Registration Training and Fellowship on Saturday, November 11, at the Headquarters of the Louisville/Jefferson County, Democratic Party Executive Committee from 2-4 p.m. at 1501 Durrett Lane Louisville, KY. 40213. You can sign up HERE.