Five Things to Know Today
— Publisher’s Note —
Good morning! It’s Primary Day, and if you haven’t already voted, here’s what you need to know as you go to the polls today:
- Polls are open 6 AM to 6 PM, local time.
- If you requested an absentee ballot but never got it, you can go vote in person today.
- If you received your absentee ballot but want to go vote in person, you can. The poll workers will cancel out your absentee ballot when you show up.
- If you received your absentee ballot but haven’t mailed it back, you have to do it today. It must be postmarked no later than today.
- Remember to take your ID with you to the polls.
- Be prepared for standing in line at the polls – but maybe not. Turnout looks to be high, perhaps record-breaking, but we’ve also had no-excuse absentee voting and early in-person voting, so no one knows what the polls will look like today.
And, no matter how things turn out today, a big Thank You to the candidates, elections boards, and poll workers, for their efforts in the midst of an unprecedented world-wide pandemic. They have helped us to renew our democracy one more time.
As always – Wear those masks, wash those hands, get a test. We’re going to get through this, together. #TeamKentucky
Bruce Maples, publisher
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Reopening success depends on KYians following guidelines, incl masks – 6/22 update
Case numbers were low on Monday, but Governor Beshear and Health Commissioner Stack both warned that reopening depends on following the guidelines – especially, wearing masks. (Forward Kentucky)
Dem Women’s Caucus says next Capitol statue should be a woman
In a letter to Governor Andy Beshear, the Democratic Women’s Caucus of the state legislature made their preference plain: the next statue in the Capitol Rotunda should be a woman. And the included eight suggestions. (Forward Kentucky)
Would everyone please get the Louisville voting story straight?
To all the people out there with hot-takes on voting in Louisville: Get your story straight. There is not ONE voting location. There is one building with EIGHTEEN polling locations. (Forward Kentucky)
The closing ads for Booker, Broihier, and McGrath
Here are the final ads before the primary for each of the Democrats running to take on Mitch McConnell in the fall. These were pulled directly from their YouTube channels. (Forward Kentucky)
Formerly disenfranchised Kentucky voters cast their ballots
For many in the Ohio Valley, voting is a choice, a right they are free to exercise if they want to. But for Jackie McGranahan and the more than 175,000 other formerly disenfranchised Kentuckians, this primary election is special. It’s her first chance to vote since 2008. (Ohio Valley Resource)
Did you miss any of these?
Featured Content on Forward Kentucky
([new] indicates new since last Forward Five; 🔥 indicates lots of reads)
— News —
Making Juneteenth state holiday gains bipartisan support – A proposal to make Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, an official state holiday has gotten bipartisan support in the Kentucky Senate. (read)
Lawyer asks Beshear, Adams for new exec orders on voting – Anna Whites, a Frankfort lawyer, sent a letter to Governor Beshear and SOS Adams on Friday asking for additional executive orders related to the primary on Tuesday. (read)
Cases still up & down; senators press for school guidance; football-player testing at UK – 6/20 update – Cases continue on a roller coaster. Senators sent a letter to the gov pushing for school guidance. And, UK football is one of a group of schools named as doing the least testing among Power 5 schools. (read)
Poll: Booker beats McGrath, McConnell beats them both – A new poll from Civiqs has Charles Booker leading Amy McGrath in the Democratic Senate primary – but has Mitch McConnell beating them both in the general election. (read)
— Commentary —
[new] Top Ten Reasons for Wearing a Mask – With all the discussion and brouhaha about wearing masks these days, I thought I’d share my Top Ten Reasons for Wearing a Mask. (read)
Al Cross: Charles Booker, Mike Broihier harvest votes on a field Amy McGrath planted – As Amy McGrath stumbled in her run for the Senate, the seeds she spilled were harvested by Mike Broihier and Charles Booker. Has the election changed enough for one of them to win? (read)
LMPD can’t continue to deny open records requests – The open records act is neither an ideal nor a suggestion. It is the law. LMPD must permit inspection of public records as required or risk meaningful punishment for noncompliance. (read)
Police reform? It didn’t work in Miami. Ask Arthur McDuffie. – I am an old lady, so my memory isn’t what it was. But even 40 years later, I still remember the name of Arthur McDuffie. (read)
— Policy —
Your doorbell could be surveilling your neighbors for the police – As reported by the Pew Trusts, the ties between police departments and home surveillance gadgets, especially doorbell cameras, are coming under scrutiny. (read)
— Media —
[new photo gallery] Booker campaign stops in Lebanon, Danville – The Charles Booker campaign bus tour stopped in Lebanon and Danville on Sunday, and Nick Lacy was at both stops to capture them in photos. (view)
[videocast] #DefundThePolice on ‘The State of Kentucky’ – Here’s our show on #DefundThePolice, an important topic that we all need to learn more about. Rep. Attica Scott and Emily Galvin-Almanza (founder of Partners for Justice) help us understand the topic. (watch or listen)
[podcast] Can Mayor Fischer fire Breonna Taylor’s killers? – This week on My Old Kentucky Podcast – COVID-19, protests, and the primary election. In addition, the show dives into the reasons why Mayor Fischer says he cannot fire the officers who executed the no-knock warrant on Breonna Taylor’s home. (listen)
Posts with Most Social Media Shares in Past Fourteen Days
(🔥 indicates post with surge of recent shares)
- 🔥 Kentucky cousins both running for House seats this year (2,000+ shares)
- Black Lives Matter in Crab Orchard, Kentucky (742 shares)
- 🔥 It took Kentucky 111 years to abolish slavery … and we still haven’t dealt with the statues (741 shares)
- Why aren’t teachers at the table when it comes to COVID-19 planning? (720 shares)
- Booker receives endorsements from Sanders, AOC, and the Herald-Leader (680 shares)
- 🔥 No mask? You’re a bad neighbor. #WearTheDamnMask (520 shares)
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