Governor Beshear says predictions of low voter turnout are disheartening.
The Secretary of State’s Office has estimated only 10 percent of registered voters will go to the polls today.
Speaking after an event in Bowling Green this morning, Beshear said the recent nasty turn in the Republican primary for governor probably won’t help.
“You know, part of what depresses turnouts is when you get into these real nasty campaigns and it just turns people off," said Beshear. "People say why should I participate in the process?”
Beshear said improving career and college readiness among Kentucky’s young people and furthering job creation are two of the major issues he thinks the gubernatorial primary winners will need to address during the general election.
The democratic governor said he’s bothered by predictions of extremely low voter turnout, and says a positive governor’s race between today’s two primary winners would lead to a boost in turnout in November.
“I’m hopeful to hear positive campaigning and positive issues about how we build on where Kentucky is," said Beshear. "You know, just going out and saying everything’s bad, everything wrong. Nobody believes that, because things are starting to get much better.”
The Republican candidates for governor have been critical of Beshear for what they describe as an inadequate effort at addressing the state’s underfunded public pensions.
