By McKenna Horsley

Kentucky Lantern

 

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said his office’s Election Integrity Command Center received one possible report of vote buying or selling among calls it took Tuesday morning.

 

Coleman reported that in the first few hours of voting in Tuesday’s primary, the center received 11 complaints from Barren, Boone, Boyd and Fayette counties.

“The calls have ranged from questions that inquired (about) voting procedures, legal questions, as well as an allegation of vote buying or vote selling,” Coleman told reporters.

Because the allegation may lead to an investigation, more details could not be made public Tuesday.

Across Kentucky, voters are casting their ballots in Republican and Democratic primaries to decide nominees for president, Congress, the Kentucky General Assembly and local offices. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.

More Kentuckians took advantage of early voting last week than in last year’s primary. Secretary of State Michael Adams said in a Monday post on X, formerly Twitter, that more than 75,000 Kentuckians took part in no-excuse early voting in this primary election. That was about 2,500 more early voters than last year’s primary election.

“Like last year, most early voters were Republicans, but there’s nothing political about choosing the voting method most convenient for you,” said Adams, a Republican serving his second term as Secretary of State.

Adams recently encouraged Kentuckians to use early voting in an interview with the Kentucky Lantern ahead of the primary. During the 2024 legislative session, a bill was introduced to end early voting, but it died in a Senate committee.

The Office of the Attorney General maintains the Election Fraud Hotline each election. Kentuckians may report suspected election law violations by calling the hotline at (800) 328-VOTE or submitting a complaint online.

Staff answer calls during early voting periods and on Election Days from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern. Tips are reviewed and allegations of election fraud are referred to the Department of Criminal Investigations in the Attorney General’s Office.

Ahead of Tuesday morning, the hotline had received 35 pre-election day complaints.

Coleman, a Republican elected last year, emphasized the work of the center, saying that a 2022 complaint submitted to the hotline about suspected election law violations in Monroe County resulted in the conviction of seven people.

“When the polls close and the winners are announced, I hope every Kentuckians can feel confident that our election is secure and our constitutional order has worked,” Coleman said.