FRANKFORT, Ky. (WAVE) – A judge denied a motion filed by the Kentucky Democratic Party to extend voting hours in Jefferson County after multiple reports of technical problems and long delays at several polling places on Election Day. This means that the votes will close at 18.00

KDP filed suit against the Jefferson County Clerk and the chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Elections on Nov. 5 and asked that the polls remain open until 8 p.m.

“We are extremely disappointed by this decision given the extensive technical issues in Jefferson County that caused some voters to stand in line for more than three hours,” said KDP Executive Director Morgan Eaves. “Jefferson County polls have been operationally closed. These disruptions were not only unacceptable, they deprived Kentuckians of their fundamental right to vote.

Instead of fighting for Jefferson County voters, the Kentucky Republican Party argued in opposition, arguing that the GOP-majority General Assembly is the only body capable of extending voting hours. This absurd claim is an extension of their relentless obsession with removing checks and balances from our government. Not only does it effectively nullify Kentucky’s judicial branch, but deprive Kentucky voters of all political affiliations.

We urge all eligible voters to arrive at their assigned polling place before 6:00 p.m. To all Kentuckians who are in line when the polls close, stay in line.”

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Before the judge’s denial, Eaves gave the following statement:

“After receiving numerous reports of technical issues that caused severe delays and violated Kentuckians’ constitutional right to vote, we immediately filed a motion to request that the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office extend voting hours until 8 p.m. ET. We will use all legal means necessary to ensure that every Kentuckian eligible to vote has the ability to do so.”

Earlier on Election Day, Kentucky’s attorney general said officials were aware of the reports and those issues have since been resolved.

In the lawsuit, KDP is calling for the Jefferson County polls to be extended until 8 p.m., saying it’s both necessary and appropriate because the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office is “depriving Jefferson County voters of their fundamental right to vote.” .

In the lawsuit, KDP also seeks “any additional relief necessary to make such relief meaningful, including extending voting hours until 8:00 p.m. to allow voters denied the right to vote due to delays administrative of the defendants to vote. .”

Polls opened at 6 a.m. in Jefferson County as required, however, the lawsuit says election workers’ electronic voter registers immediately failed.

“The machines stalled, crashed, or otherwise failed to locate voters, so there were numerous instances of voters who could not be verified and issued ballots,” the lawsuit alleged. “System failures prevented poll workers from processing voter registration approximately every 3 minutes during the first three and a half hours of voting. For some time, the system had to be restarted after each voter was verified.”

The lawsuit says the Jefferson County Clerk’s office sent an employee to Hartstern Elementary around 9:30 a.m. to shut down the Internet router, temporarily halting voter registration after the electronic poll books continued to jam.

As a result of the system crash, the lawsuit says polling places in Jefferson County were not continuously open as required.

Attached below is the full lawsuit filed by KDP

Attorneys from the ACLU of Kentucky also filed to join KDP in their lawsuit.

“It is the constitutional right of every eligible voter in Kentucky to cast their vote in an election,” said Corey Shapiro, Legal Director. “We join KDP on behalf of our members in asking the court to order polling places in Jefferson County to remain open to accommodate those who were turned away or had to leave their polling places without voting.”

The ACLU of Kentucky encourages voters who are in line to vote to stay in line and call 1-866-OUR-VOTE if they have trouble casting their ballot.

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