Democratic politicians, celebrities and others are speaking out ahead of Kentucky’s primary election on Tuesday, after the number of polling places in the state has been drastically reduced amid the coronavirus pandemic.
State election officials will open 170 polling places, down from just under 2,700 locations in a usual year, CNN reported Monday. The state’s two most populous counties — Jefferson and Fayette — are each set to have only one polling place.
The election has already seen an influx of mail-in ballots. The Kentucky Secretary of state’s office confirmed Monday that it has issued 867,311 mail-in ballots and received 442,919 from voters, according to CNN.
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams slammed the smaller number of locations, tweeting that “Voter suppression is no longer billy clubs & Jim Crow. It’s closed polling sites + 6 hr waits w/o pay. COVID is no excuse.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for leaders to “make it easier to vote—not harder,” tweeting Monday that “No one should be forced to wait in line for hours to participate in our elections.”
Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) called the smaller number of polling locations this year “voter suppression” and “insidious.”
“Voting should be safe & easy. Let’s make that a reality,” Klobuchar tweeted.
Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) tweeted that “Each Election Day this year, including tomorrow’s in Kentucky, is a test of the health of our democracy. There is no excuse for electoral dysfunction or voter suppression, especially when it harms Black and brown voters. #AllEyesOnKentucky.”
Celebrities also took to social media to express concerns ahead of the Tuesday election.
NBA star Lebron James warned that the closure of polling locations “is SYSTEMIC RACISM and OPPRESSION,” referencing the long lines and mass confusion during Georgia’s primary elections earlier this month.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) vowed to launch an investigation following the election, which he called “unacceptable.”
Actor Reese Witherspoon shared that “This primary on Tuesday is SO important and voting has become very confusing ! Dont let that stop you,” alongside a phone number for voters to find their polling place.
A federal judge last week rejected an effort from Kentucky state Rep. Jason Nemes (R) and a group of Kentucky voters to add additional polling places, The Washington Post reported.
Federal Judge Charles R. Simpson III held on Thursday that the election procedures amid the ongoing pandemic are not an infringement of voting rights, citing expanded absentee voting and early in-person voting.