Home » Election fraud hotline gets 205 calls during Primary election

Election fraud hotline gets 205 calls during Primary election

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 22, 2014) — The Kentucky Attorney General’s Election Fraud Hotline received 205 calls from more than 60 counties between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. during Tuesday’s Primary election. Forty-nine calls involved allegations of vote buying/selling.

Vote“The Election Fraud Hotline is an important tool for voters to help protect the integrity of Kentucky’s elections,” Attorney General Jack Conway said. “My office will thoroughly review each complaint for possible criminal violations. If an investigation is deemed necessary, the complaint will be referred to the appropriate agency.”

Election Fraud Hotline calls by issue for 2014 Primary Election

49  Vote Buying/Selling (8 – Breathitt, 8 – Clay, 4 – Pike, 3 – Bell, 3 – Floyd, 3 – Harlan, 3 – Laurel, 3 – Owsley, 2 – Carter, 2 – Knott, 2 – Magoffin, 1 – Bath, 1 – Clinton, 1 – Knox, 1 – Lee, 1 – Morgan, 1 – Muhlenberg, 1 – Perry, 1 – Wayne)

43  Legal Questions

25  Procedural Questions

25  General Election Fraud/Other

16  Electioneering within 300’ of Polls

12  Election Official

11 Special or Absentee Ballot

7 Residency

 6 Voter Identification

 5 Voting Machine

 3 Voter Assistance

 3 Disrupting Polls

 2  Request for Assistance/Monitoring

 2  Campaign Violation

 1  Campaign Finance

 

Top Election Fraud Hotline calls by county

Breathitt – 15 (8 – Vote Buying/Selling, 2 – Disrupting Polls, 2 – Electioneering within 300’ of Polls, 1 – General Election Fraud/Other, 1 – Legal Question, 1 – Procedural Question, 1 – Residency)

Floyd – 12 (3 – Vote Buying/Selling, 2 – Legal Question, 2 – Voter Assistance, 1 – Campaign Finance, 1 – Campaign Violation, 1 – Election Official, 1 – General Election Fraud/Other, 1 – Procedural Question, 1 – Special or Absentee Ballot)

Pike – 11 (4 – Vote Buying/Selling, 3 – Procedural Question, 2 – General Election Fraud/Other, 1 – Election Official, 1 – Electioneering within 300’ of Polls)

Pulaski – 11 (3 – Electioneering within 300’ of Polls, 3 – General Election Fraud/Other, 2 – Residency, 1 – Legal Question, 1 – Procedural Question, 1 – Special or Absentee Ballot)

The Office of the Attorney General, by law, cannot provide details regarding specific complaints or possible pending investigations.

In addition to the hotline, investigators from General Conway’s Department of Criminal Investigations patrolled precincts and polling places to respond immediately to complaints. The Attorney General’s Office, which has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute election law violations, is also a member of the Kentucky Election Integrity Task Force.

Post-election audit

As required by statute, the Office of the Attorney General will select six counties in a random drawing and a post-election audit will be conducted in those counties. Each county will undergo independent inquiries for any potential irregularities that may have occurred during the May 20, 2014, primary.

Pursuant to KRS 15.243 (3),(a), the Kentucky Attorney General is required to conduct a post-election audit investigation in no fewer than five percent of Kentucky’s counties following each primary and general election. The counties are selected in a public drawing that must be done within 20 days of the election.