Kentuckians can now register to vote online. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes made the formal announcement Monday at the state capitol.
Grimes said there are protections in place to ensure those who are ineligible to vote are not able to register. “You have to provide your social security number, your date of birth," Grimes said. "Those are the keys to accessing the system to make sure that only the eligible voters here in Kentucky are registering.”
Grimes says as with in-person registration, criminal charges can be leveled against violators.
Former Secretary of State Bob Babbage, who participated in the announcement, believes online registration will translate to higher turnout come Election Day. Babbage says making it easier for people to register to vote does not guarantee better turnout, but it’s a start. “They may not, but if they’re not registered, they’re out of luck," Babbage said. "So, you’ve got to start some place. At least this is a reach out. This is a big reach."
Former Secretary of State Elaine Walker also participated in the announcement. Walker believes the current presidential race could boost registration. “I think there’s a very good likelihood that as people are listening to the national debate that’s going on, if they’re not registered, they may just be driven to say ‘you know what, I’m gonna go online and I’m gonna register,'” added Walker.
Kentucky joins 30 other states in allowing citizens to register to vote online. Registration can be completed or updated at GoVoteKy.com.
