Attorney General Jack Conway has announced that his Election Fraud Hotline received 205 calls from more than 60 counties between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. (EST) during The May 20 primary election. Forty-nine calls involved allegations of vote buying/selling.
“The Election Fraud Hotline is an important tool for voters to help protect the integrity of Kentucky’s elections,” General Conway said. “My office will thoroughly review each complaint for possible criminal violations. If an investigation is deemed necessary, the complaint will be referred to the appropriate agency.”
Election Fraud Hotline Calls by Issue for 2014 Primary Election
49 Vote Buying/Selling (8 – Breathitt, 8 – Clay, 4 – Pike, 3 – Bell, 3 – Floyd, 3 – Harlan, 3 – Laurel, 3 – Owsley, 2 – Carter, 2 – Knott, 2 – Magoffin, 1 – Bath, 1 – Clinton, 1 – Knox, 1 – Lee, 1 – Morgan, 1 – Muhlenberg, 1 – Perry, 1 – Wayne)
43 Legal Questions
25 Procedural Questions
25 General Election Fraud/Other
16 Electioneering within 300’ of Polls
12 Election Official
11 Special or Absentee Ballot
7 Residency
6 Voter Identification
5 Voting Machine
3 Voter Assistance
3 Disrupting Polls
2 Request for Assistance/Monitoring
2 Campaign Violation
1 Campaign Finance
Top Election Fraud Hotline Calls by County
Breathitt – 15 (8 – Vote Buying/Selling, 2 – Disrupting Polls, 2 – Electioneering within 300’ of Polls, 1 – General Election Fraud/Other, 1 – Legal Question, 1 – Procedural Question, 1 – Residency)
Floyd – 12 (3 – Vote Buying/Selling, 2 – Legal Question, 2 – Voter Assistance, 1 – Campaign Finance, 1 – Campaign Violation, 1 – Election Official, 1 – General Election Fraud/Other, 1 – Procedural Question, 1 – Special or Absentee Ballot)
Pike – 11 (4 – Vote Buying/Selling, 3 – Procedural Question, 2 – General Election Fraud/Other, 1 – Election Official, 1 – Electioneering within 300’ of Polls)
Pulaski – 11 (3 – Electioneering within 300’ of Polls, 3 – General Election Fraud/Other, 2 – Residency, 1 – Legal Question, 1 – Procedural Question, 1 – Special or Absentee Ballot)
The Office of the Attorney General, by law, cannot provide details regarding specific complaints or possible pending investigations.
In addition to the hotline, investigators from General Conway’s Department of Criminal Investigations patrolled precincts and polling places across the Commonwealth yesterday to respond immediately to complaints. The Attorney General’s Office, which has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute election law violations, is also a member of the Kentucky Election Integrity Task Force.
Post-Election Audit
As required by statute, the Office of the Attorney General will select six counties in a random drawing and a post-election audit will be conducted in those counties. Each county will undergo independent inquiries for any potential irregularities that may have occurred during the May 20, 2014 primary.
Pursuant to KRS 15.243 (3),(a), the Kentucky Attorney General is required to conduct a post-election audit investigation in no fewer than five percent of Kentucky's counties following each primary and general election. The counties are selected in a public drawing that must be done within 20 days of the election.
You can follow Attorney General Conway on Twitter @kyoag, visit the Attorney General’s Facebook page or view videos on our YouTube channel.
