Kentucky lawmakers advance bipartisan election reform bill

[rpannier]

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — In sharp contrast to bitter partisan battles being waged elsewhere over election laws, Republicans and Democrats in Kentucky were on the verge Tuesday of joining forces to loosen the state's voting access laws to make limited early voting a fixture.

A measure overwhelmingly approved Tuesday in the state Senate would give Kentucky voters three days of no-excuse, early in-person voting — including a Saturday — before Election Day. But it backed off from the temporary, pandemic-related accommodations made last year that allowed widespread mail-in absentee balloting.

snip

The legislation passed the Senate by a 33-3 margin, sending it back to the House to consider changes made to it. Republicans dominate both chambers, but Senate Democrats joined in voting for the bill. If it clears the legislature, it would be sent to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.

snip

Kentucky is accustomed to bare-knuckled partisan fights, but its top elections official noted the mild tone in the state, especially compared to the bitter debates on election law changes in other states. It echoed the tone set before last year's primaries, when Beshear and Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams hashed out emergency voting measures during the pandemic that helped Kentucky largely avoid the long lines and other problems encountered elsewhere.

https://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-lawmakers-advance-bipartisan-election-224929166.html

[rpannier]

1. From the article

The Kentucky legislation, by contrast, would relax pre-pandemic voting law to make it easier to vote. It would allow counties to establish vote centers, where any voter in the county could vote regardless of precinct. It would maintain an online portal for Kentuckians to request a mail-in ballot but keep existing restrictions on who can vote by mail.

On the election security side, the bill would result in the statewide transition toward universal paper ballots to guarantee a paper audit trail. It enhances the ability of state election officials to remove nonresident voters from voter rolls. It expressly prohibits and penalizes ballot harvesting, the practice of collecting ballots from likely supporters and returning them to election offices.

[Botany]

2. 3 days wow

How about month or a month and a half?

"three days of no-excuse, early in-person voting" r you kidding me?

[jorgevlorgan]

3. Still way better than just one day.

And the fact it gives them a Saturday is also great news.

[rpannier]

4. My thoughts as well

It's a start
That it was negotiated with the Gov of KY (a Democrats) is a good thing because the Republikkans have the numbers to do whatever they want and override any veto quite easily

[rpannier]

5. Given that in KY the Republikkans have super majorities they were under no pressure

to negotiate with the governor on any changes (they could go with AZ and GA draconian laws)
But it was negotiated between the Democratic governor and the Republikkan dominated legislature