[updated: 3:58 p.m.]
Louisville voters have been experiencing longer than usual wait times due to tech issues with polling machines. This issue runs the risk of disenfranchising voters who want to vote but have to work, pick up children, or have appointments otherwise. The lines in some places have been over one hour.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has asked employers allow flexibility with their employees, and the ACLU has been made aware and released a statement regarding these voting issues.
From Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg:
“We are hearing reports of early morning issues at some polling places across Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Clerk’s Office oversees the voting locations and process. We have reached out to them to express our concern, and I encourage you to report any problems you experience to them at 502-574-6100. My understanding is that these issues are currently being resolved, so please remain in line or return to the polls later today.
To all local employers, please provide flexibility and understanding to your employees today so everyone can exercise their right to vote.
We encourage the Jefferson County and State Boards of Elections to keep the polls open longer and provide all available accommodations to ensure that everyone gets a chance to vote in this important election.”
Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw did not appreciate the mayor’s suggestion to keep polls open longer and responded to his sentiment.
“We have no intention of keeping polls open later than 6, and we would appreciate if the mayor would refrain from telling us how to do our job. We take this very seriously, and we are very confident that everyone will be able to vote by 6pm today.”
From the ACLU of Kentucky:
“The ACLU of Kentucky is aware of the tech issues that have led to long lines for too many voters in Jefferson County.
After three days of historic levels of early voting, this morning’s lack of preparedness from our County Clerk is inexcusable.
Unfortunately, the burden now falls to voters to find more time in their schedules to be able to cast their ballots. We encourage all voters to stay in line so that their voices may be heard.
We are exploring all options, including litigation, to ensure every eligible voter in Jefferson County can access the ballot box today. We encourage anyone impacted by today’s breakdown to call the Voter Protection Hotline 866-Our-Vote.”
If you’re in line, STAY IN LINE. Don’t miss your chance to vote in what stands to be a historic election for our nation.
From the Louisville Urban League:
“The Louisville Urban League is disappointed by the technical issues experienced during the voting hours this morning. These delays have impacted Kentuckians’s ability to vote, and we have documented two individuals who contacted us this morning who could not vote due to the delays.
These delays should have been circumvented by better preparation from the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office, which cited downloads of early voter data as the reason for the delay. Early voting ended two days prior, which should have given their office ample time to download the voter data before the actual hour of Election Day voting. We urge all impacted voters to contact the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-687-8683. We encourage all voters in line by 6 PM to stay in line; you will get to vote.
The Kentucky Democratic Party filed a motion to allow for an extension of voting hours due to the issue in Jefferson County.
The ACLU has petitioned to join the lawsuit.
Attorneys from the ACLU of Kentucky today petitioned the Court to allow us to join the Kentucky Democratic Party (KDP) in their lawsuit demanding Jefferson County polling locations remain open to accommodate Kentuckians who have experienced extreme, prolonged delays while voting in today’s historic election.
“It is the constitutional right of every eligible voter in Kentucky to cast their vote in the election,” said Corey Shapiro, Legal Director. “We join the KDP on behalf of our members in asking the court to order Jefferson County polling locations to remain open accommodating those who were turned away or had to leave their polling locations without voting.”
The ACLU of Kentucky encourages voters who are in line to vote to stay in line, and to call 1-866-OUR-VOTE should they experience any problems or barriers to casting their vote.
This article appears in Oct 23 – Nov 5, 2024.
