Election Day Dos and Don’ts

Posted by Alisha Nelson on Nov 1, 2010

Do:             Verify your voter registration status before you head to the polls.  Visit the Voter Information Center at www.vote.ky.gov/vic

Don’t:         Get discouraged by long lines or long ballots. You can be prepared by previewing your ballot online at Vote.Ky.Gov.  Remember, as long as you are in line by 6 PM, local time, on November 2^nd you will be able to cast your ballot.

Do:             Know where to go to vote. The Vote.Ky.Gov website has the Voter Information Center that allows voters to both find the address of their polling place and to obtain driving directions from their residence.

Don’t:         Campaign or solicit votes within 300 feet of a polling place. Electioneering in the immediate area around polling places is illegal in Kentucky.  However, you will not be turned away from the polls for simply wearing a campaign button, shirt, hat, etc.

Do:             Know the most convenient times to vote are during low traffic periods: not during the morning rush hour, lunch, or the evening rush hour.  Remember, polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  However, if you are in line by the close of polls at 6:00 p.m. local time, you will be allowed to vote. 

Don’t:         Wait until the last minute to head to the polls.  You may encounter traffic or another unexpected delay.  If you are not in line by 6:00 p.m. local time, you will not be allowed to vote.

Do:             Bring identification to the polls on Election Day. Types of acceptable voter ID include: personal acquaintance of precinct officer, driver’s license, social security card, credit card, or another form of ID containing both picture and signature. 

Don’t:         Use prohibited items at the polls such as video cameras, cell phones, or any other device that can record the identity of voters.  If you bring a cell phone to the polls, you are encouraged to place it on silent or vibrate. 

Do:             Know what races are on your ballot.  Newspapers across the Commonwealth print sample ballots, and you can find them online at Vote.Ky.Gov and posted in each precinct.

Don’t:         Cast a provisional ballot at the incorrect polling place. If a poll worker tells you that you are at the wrong polling place, please take the time to go to the correct location to make sure your voice is heard.  Provisional ballots cast at the incorrect polling place will not be counted.

Do:             Ask a poll worker for instructions on how to use the voting machine or ask other procedural questions of the precinct election officials if you are confused about the voting process.

Don’t:         Get caught up in election rumors.  To get the facts, visit: www.vote.ky.gov/rumorcontrol.

Do:             Let officials know immediately if you encounter any problems at the polls.  Start with your precinct election officers and county clerk, or call the State Board of Elections at (502) 573-7100.

Don’t:         Forget to thank your poll workers. Without the nearly 15,000 Kentuckians that have volunteered to be poll workers across our state, this election would not be possible. They work long days on the front lines of our elections and deserve our appreciation.  Contact your county clerk if you are interested in helping in the future. 

Do:             Call your friends and family to remind them to vote.  All elections are important as it is one way that you can make your voice heard. 

Don’t:         Forget that you can obtain all of the election results in near real time by visiting www.elect.ky.gov after the polls have closed.

November Is Adoption Awareness Month; More than 800 children need permanent homes

Posted by Alisha Nelson on Nov 1, 2010

Governor Steve Beshear has proclaimed November Adoption Awareness Month in Kentucky and is reminding Kentuckians to consider opening their hearts and homes to the state’s more than 800 waiting children.

Gov. Beshear said every child deserves a loving home.

“Families who adopt are champions of children,” Gov. Beshear said. “We are so grateful to them for their deep compassion and giving children in need a forever family.”

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ (CHFS) Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) is responsible for the state’s child protection efforts, including foster care and adoption.

CHFS Secretary Janie Miller said that while the state’s success in the area of adoption requires strong collaborations among adoptive parents, the state and local communities, the heart of the program is the adoptive families.

“We strive to achieve permanency for children in foster care, and these parents complete the process by making the decision to selflessly share their lives and homes,” Miller said.