Candidates for Kentucky secretary of state say they can make elections run more smoothly

The job of being a secretary of state has become more complicated in recent years as critics have cast doubt on election integrity using debunked claims often echoed by former President Donald Trump. That position will be on Kentucky’s ballot in November.

In the commonwealth, the secretary of state works with county clerks and the state Board of Elections to oversee voting on Election Day. The job is also responsible for keeping the state’s paperwork in order, including official acts of the governor, business records and land records.

The job pays just under $150,000 a year.

On Nov. 7, the Republican incumbent, Michael Adams, faces a Democratic challenger, former state Rep. Charles “Buddy” Wheatley of Covington.

Adams and Wheatley recently agreed to answer some questions from the Herald-Leader related to the secretary of state’s office.

Who is to blame for the recent hostility toward election officials in the U.S. and Kentucky and the angry denial of election outcomes?

Adams: The former president bears primary responsibility, but unfortunately, there is a bipartisan recent history of misinformation about elections and harassment of election officials. Polarization has contributed to fringes on both sides of the political spectrum refusing to accept election outcomes as legitimate.

I worked with a Democratic state legislator to pass a law to improve protections for our election workers and have earned a national reputation for courageously telling the truth and defending our election process, against both the left-wing “All Eyes on Kentucky” movement in 2020 that falsely alleged voter suppression and the frivolous recount efforts of far-right candidates in 2022 that falsely alleged voter fraud. I paid a price for the latter by being challenged with a primary, but I always put voters first and always will.

Wheatley: No single person is to blame, but rather partisanship in general. Government works best when elected officials can demonstrate that they’re willing to reach across the aisle to solve issues with the best interests of their community in mind, not their political future. I will be a Secretary of State who works on behalf of all Kentuckians, regardless of party. Protecting our democracy and increasing civic engagement are not partisan issues, and I plan to work in step with the governor and the General Assembly to move our democracy forward.

What can you do as secretary of state to restore public confidence in elections?

Adams: Foremost, I’ve restored public confidence in elections by restoring public confidence in the chief election official. As the Herald-Leader extensively reported and the Executive Branch Ethics Commission later ruled, my Democratic predecessor made a mess of the office, violating ethics laws to help her party win elections. Her father was sent to federal prison for election corruption for her campaign. I’ve restored decency and integrity to this office, and my opponent should not be permitted to bring back the shady practices and personnel that previously embarrassed our state.

Beyond that, I’ve been a brave voice, often to my political detriment within my party, not just to protect and defend our election process but also to improve it, with more voting days and increased transparency. Finally, everything I’ve achieved in office has been done in bipartisan fashion, and leaders across the political spectrum, from Andy Beshear to Rand Paul, have roundly praised my performance.

Wheatley: Unlike Michael Adams, I’ll be a full-time secretary of state who communicates with county clerks and Kentucky voters year-round. I plan to restore public confidence in our elections by being a transparent secretary of state and by advocating for additional funding to run our elections more effectively. Many counties are left with outdated voting machines, and I’ll work to secure federal and state funding to get those replaced.

I’ll also protect our elections by staying in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) system, which is a bipartisan agreement between states to protect from voter fraud. Michael Adams is caving to pressure from extremists to remove Kentucky from ERIC when there is no replacement available. I’m ready to commit today that, if I’m elected, Kentucky will remain in the ERIC partnership.

Voter turnout in Kentucky’s 2022 general election was 42%. What should we do to get more people to vote — or should we leave matters as they are?

Adams: I took on my own party — and the insincerity of the other party, which purported to support voter access but controlled Frankfort for a century and never lifted a finger to expand it — to pass Kentucky’s first early voting law, quadrupling the number of days Kentuckians have to vote.

Turnout since I introduced early voting has not increased. My goal is to increase convenience for voters, not to hit some arbitrary threshold. Studies show that turnout percentages correlate more with particular states’ civic cultures — active volunteering, charitable giving, etc. — than with how many voting days they have. Tennessee has two weeks of early voting, yet lower turnout than Kentucky has. Also, people who do not vote tend not to be informed about issues and candidates, and thus not motivated to participate. That’s why they don’t vote.

My administration is addressing the root of the problem by developing a Civic Health Index, to be released soon, starting a conversation about civic disengagement, polarization, and vulnerability to misinformation.

Wheatley: The 2022 election was the first election in which Michael Adams was the Chair of the Board of Elections, and we saw a drastic reduction in the number of polling locations. Members of both parties have since called this election “voter suppression.” That’s just wrong, and I would never allow for a repeat of that election. I’m ready to work year-round with our county clerks to assess their needs to bring back those neighborhood polling locations.

Additionally, I want to make it easier for Kentuckians to vote by keeping our polls open until 7 p.m. Our Constitution allows it, but we continue to close the door on working Kentuckians at 6 p.m. I’ll fight for two full weeks of early voting. I’m also in favor of allowing Independents and other third-party voters to participate in primary elections. Independents are the fastest-growing voter bloc in Kentucky, and so many of our veterans are Independents. This will increase civic engagement and voter turnout in both the primary and general elections, and help to reduce partisanship.

What’s an important duty of the secretary of state that nobody knows about and why is it important?

Adams: I sign constitutional amendments and bills that the Governor has vetoed but on which his veto has been overridden. Gotta admit, kinda cool.

Wheatley: The secretary of state is also responsible for overseeing the commonwealth’s business filings. I’ve heard from small and large business owners across the state that there is a backlog and often a 30-day delay in business filings. Under the leadership of Gov. Andy Beshear, our state is experiencing record-breaking economic growth. The secretary of state’s office needs to update their business filings program to keep up with the growing needs of the business community and support Kentucky’s prosperity.