Rep. Chris Freeland's Legislative Update

Be Prepared for November Election - by Representative Chris Freeland

 

This past week, we celebrated National Voter Registration Day. Thousands of organizations and people all across the country rallied together to register people to do the one thing that is essential for a representative democracy-vote. These activities always remind me just how sacred the right to vote is to us. In just a few short weeks, Kentuckians will have the opportunity to exercise that very important right once again in the November election.

 

This year’s ballot is limited almost entirely to statewide offices, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts and the Commissioner of Agriculture. In the noise of campaign ads on television, radio and social media, it can be difficult to remember what it is these constitutional officers will actually be responsible for doing. I thought it might be helpful to take a moment and reflect on the constitutional duties of each elected office.

 

The Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected together on the ballot. The Governor is the head of the executive branch of government, which means he or she oversees state programs and spending, as well as implementing the laws that are passed by the legislature. The Governor frequently serves as a representative for the state, and has broad power to appoint individuals to the state’s boards and commissions. The Attorney General is Kentucky’s chief law enforcement officer, and is tasked with representing the Commonwealth in court proceedings. Business recordings and election filings keep the Secretary of State’s Office busy, as well as management of our state’s land records dating back to Revolutionary War land grants.

 

The Commissioner of Agriculture heads the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and serves as an ambassador to promote Kentucky agriculture to other states. The Auditor of Public Accounts examines the financial records of all state agencies and county governments to ensure that taxpayer money is being used in a responsible and ethical way. The Treasurer is responsible for tracking all revenues collected by state government and for disbursing state funds. These are just the basic responsibilities, but I hope this breakdown provides a little insight into what all those titles really mean.

 

I would also like to remind you that, in order to be eligible to vote in this November’s election, you must register to vote by October 7. There are a couple different ways you can go about doing this. You can register to vote online by visiting govoteKY.com, or you may stop by the local county clerk’s office and fill out a voter registration card.

 

You may have heard some discussion in the media recently about an “inactive list” of registered voters. Unfortunately, I think there are a lot of people talking about this without understanding what it actually is. While there is a list of inactive voters that was compiled by the State Board of Elections, those on that list can still vote in the November election. A group of approximately 150,000 voters have been mailed a card that notifies them of their inactive status. If you received one of these cards, then you know there are two ways to come off the inactive list – vote or update your voter information. This group actually has until November 2022 to update their information, or simply vote, before they are removed from the voter rolls entirely.

 

If you did not get a card in the mail, but are concerned about your status, visit govoteKY.com to review your voter information.

 

I urge you, get out and vote this November. Our nation is stronger when citizens exercise their constitutional right to vote. Our nation was founded on the principle that everyone gets to have a say in who represents them. 

 

As always, I can be reached at home anytime or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via e-mail at Chris.Freeland@lrc.ky.gov. You can also keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov. You can also follow me on my Facebook page, Chris Freeland 6th District State Representative.