As the 2024 General Election approaches on Nov. 5, voters will make crucial decisions that will shape the future of their states and the country. From U.S. Congressional seats to local Louisville Metro Council races, and even constitutional amendments, here’s everything you need to know to be an informed voter this November.
United States General Election
Kamala Harris (D)
- Key Issues: The former U.S. Senator from California is currently the Vice President of the United States under President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the presidential race in June this year. She is running on defending reproductive rights, climate action and expanding healthcare access to more Americans.
- Important To Note: Vice President Harris has changed views on several topics since her time as Attorney General of California. While acting as AG, Harris she defended the death penalty in court, despite formerly crusading against it. She also defended marijuana’s use for medicinal purposes, despite her prosecutors convicting more than 1,900 people on cannabis-related charges.
Donald Trump (R)
- Key Issues: The former president is once again seeking reelection to the White House after losing in the 2020 election. President Trump has still never conceded the 2020 race, and is currently campaigning on mass deportation of all illegal immigrants, energy independence and a stronger southern border.
- Important To Note: Donald Trump was recently found to have lied over 30,000 times during his time in the White House from 2016 to 2020. Trump failed to follow a pandemic playbook that was created by the former Obama administration, which lead to over a million deaths in a first-world country.
Key Dates To Remember
- Election Day: Nov. 5
- Kentucky Early Voting: Oct. 31 – Nov. 2
- Indiana Early Voting: Oct. 8 – Nov. 4
- Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 7 (Kentucky and Indiana)
- Absentee/Mail-in Ballot Deadline (Kentucky): Oct. 22
- Absentee/Mail-in Ballot Deadline (Indiana): Oct.24
Federal And State Races In Kentucky To Watch Out For
Kentucky’s 1st Congressional District:
- Key Issues: Comer, serving since 2016, is focused on reducing government regulation, lowering taxes, and promoting agriculture.
Important To Note: Comer scored an A+ from the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America nonprofit, which seeks to end abortion in the U.S. by supporting anti-abortion politicians. Anti-abortion laws would increase federal and/or state government regulation of women’s bodies.
- Key Issues: Marshall focuses heavily on reproductive rights and healthcare access, citing the overturn of Roe v. Wade as her primary motivation to run. She also advocates for affordable childcare and workers’ rights.
Kentucky’s 2nd Congressional District:
- Key Issues: Guthrie focuses on healthcare reform, particularly within the Medicare system and expanding economic opportunities through manufacturing. The incumbent opposes federal overreach in the energy sector and is known for promoting military readiness and veterans’ issues.
- Important To Note: Guthrie, who has received nearly $25,000 from Eli Lilly & Co. in individual contributions and from political action committees (PACs) formed by the pharmaceutical company, voted against the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019.
Hank Linderman (D)
- Key Issues: Linderman’s platform emphasizes tackling income inequality, climate change and healthcare reform. He supports Medicare for All and opposes the privatization of social services.
Kentucky’s 3rd Congressional District:
Morgan McGarvey (D) – Incumbent
- Key Issues: McGarvey’s priorities include veterans’ services, small business support and criminal justice reform. He is also a key member of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus, advocating for Kentucky’s signature industry.
- Important To Note: McGarvey has received over $49,000 since becoming a congressman from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which is the largest political action committee based out of Israel, which has killed over 43,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023. McGarvey has voted yes on every arms spending bill since entering office.
Mike Craven (R)
- Key Issues: Craven emphasizes economic growth through job creation, reducing federal spending and fostering public-private partnerships. He has a strong focus on reforming welfare programs and bolstering public safety.
Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District:
Andy Barr (R) – Incumbent
- Key Issues: Barr is a major advocate for reducing taxes, limiting government regulation and defending free-market principles. His platform includes robust national security measures and opposition to progressive economic policies like Medicare for All.
- Important To Note: Though Barr states he is an advocate for reducing costs for American families, his vote on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will eventually increase how much families spend, while also providing more breaks for those in higher tax brackets. The largest tax cut in the bill is permanent, reducing corporate tax rates from 35% down to just 21%.
Randy Cravens (D)
- Key Issues: Cravens supports expanding public education funding, affordable housing initiatives and healthcare reforms aimed at broadening access. He also supports restoring abortion access and would vote to expand the U.S. Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights.
Jefferson County and Louisville Metro Council Races To Keep An Eye On This Election Year
Metro Council District 12:
Rick Blackwell (D) – Incumbent
- Key Issues: Blackwell’s priorities include increasing investment in southwest Louisville, improving parks and addressing budget concerns related to public safety. As Chair of the Budget Committee, Blackwell seeks to balance the city’s financial growth with equitable resource distribution to those in need in the city.
- Important To Note: When Louisville Metro Council Member Anthony Piagentini was accused of negotiating a $40 million job with a nonprofit. Council members were split on whether he violated the city’s ethics code despite Louisville’s Ethics Commission finding “clear and convincing evidence” that he did. Blackwell voted that Piagentini did not violate any ethics code.
Jonathan Joseph (R)
- Key Issues: Joseph, a high school teacher, is focused on improving public safety, enhancing educational resources and attracting new businesses to the Metro area. He advocates for investments in public infrastructure and local economic growth through business development on Dixie Highway.
Metro Council District 14:
Cindi Fowler (D) – Incumbent
- Key Issues: Fowler is focused on public safety, community enhancement projects and maintaining affordable housing. She is also a proponent of improving local parks and recreational spaces in the district.
- Important To Note: Fowler was one of 10 council members who voted against a measure in 2020 that limits the use of force by police.
Crystal Bast (R)
- Key Issues: Bast’s platform centers on fully staffing the Louisville Metro Police Department, improving road infrastructure and opposing zoning changes she feels would negatively impact the district.
Constitutional Amendments On The Kentucky Ballot
- Constitutional Amendment 1: Voters will decide whether to ban noncitizens from voting in any election within Kentucky. However, it is already illegal in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for any non-citizen to vote, with Secretary of State Michael Adams testifying before an interim committee in June that Kentucky is not one of the 18 United States’ localities that allow legal noncitizens to vote in local elections.
- Constitutional Amendment 2 (School Choice): This amendment asks whether the General Assembly should be allowed to allocate public tax dollars to private and charter schools, which would divert funds from traditional public schools.
Indiana State Races
Governor’s Race
Mike Braun (R) – Incumbent U.S. Senator
- Key Issues: Braun emphasizes cutting taxes, reducing government size and opposing federal overreach in health and education policies. He is a strong supporter of Indiana’s manufacturing sector and job growth.
- Important To Note: Though Braun states he is a tax-cutting aficionado, he voted against a child tax credit that would have expanded it for working families. The bill would have lifted nearly 400,000 children out of poverty.
Jennifer McCormick (D) – Former State Superintendent
- Key Issues: McCormick advocates for increasing education funding, expanding healthcare access and protecting reproductive rights. She supports reforming state policies on public education and tackling climate change.
- Important To Note: During her time as state superintendent, McCormick helped change high school graduation requirements, now no longer needing to pass the ISTEP exam adminstered in the 10th grade, students now would be able to graduate through several “graduation pathways.” However, opponents to the new system say the new programs would force children to take courses they otherwise wouldn’t have chosen.
Donald Rainwater (Libertarian) – Libertarian Candidate
- Key Issues: Rainwater campaigns on shrinking government, opposing federal mandates and promoting individual freedoms, especially in healthcare and education.
Constitutional Amendment On The Indiana Ballot
Indiana voters will decide whether to remove the State Superintendent of Public Instruction from the list of officials who would succeed the governor in extreme circumstances. This position no longer exists, making the amendment more of a procedural update.
How to Vote: Kentucky
Early Voting Locations (October 31 – November 2, 2024)
- Louisville: Locations include Berrytown Recreation Center, Bowman Field and The Jeffersonian. For a complete list, visit the Jefferson County Clerk’s website.
Polling Locations
- Check your local polling place by visiting your county clerk’s website or the Kentucky Secretary of State’s voter information portal.
Voter ID Requirements:
- You must present an acceptable form of ID, such as a driver’s license, state ID or college ID. Voters without an ID may request a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and present alternate identification (Social Security card, credit card).
How to Vote: Indiana
Early Voting (October 8 – November 4, 2024)
- Early voting locations are available across the state. Check with your local county clerk or the Indiana Voters website for details.
Absentee Voting:
- Applications for absentee ballots must be received by October 24. You can request an absentee ballot through your county clerk’s office or online.
Voter Registration and Sample Ballots
- Kentucky: Check your registration and sample ballot at the Kentucky Board of Elections website. Each county offers different races, so sample ballots are county-specific.
- Indiana: Use the Indiana Voters portal to check your registration, polling location, and access a sample ballot specific to your precinct.
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This article appears in LEO Weekly presents Readers’ Choice 2024.
