GOP gov candidates make final rounds; will their efforts combat historically low turnout?
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – After a tough GOP gubernatorial debate earlier this week, Republican candidates are making their final rounds across the commonwealth.
With your 2023 primary election just days away, the GOP candidates are wrapping up the last of their campaign tours. But will their efforts be enough to get people to the polls?
Attorney General Daniel Cameron, coming fresh off a visit from Glasgow will be back in Bowling Green Saturday.
Likewise, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles made the drive to Bowling Green earlier today as one of the final stops on his Big Red Truck Tour.
“Look, we have to make sure that Kentucky selects the Republican nominee who has the best chance of beating any this year, this fall,” said Quarles. “So, I’ll look forward to having a strong showing on Tuesday. Then we’re going to come together and we’re going to continue the fight through the fall.”
Finally, Kelly Craft and her team plan to roll into Bowling Green this upcoming Monday.
Despite these candidates’ best efforts, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams says there will need to be much higher voter participation rates to make things count, as this election has historically been “plagued with low turnout.”
“The primary and the gubernatorial year typically is the election with the lowest turnout in Kentucky. We’re looking at somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of our registered voters going out and voting. That’s low. That’s unfortunate,” said Adams.
“It’s historically what we have. If they don’t vote, if they’re complacent, that begins to skew the outcomes of the people that are on the ballot in November,” he continued. “And that leads to further depression of turnout because most voters don’t feel like they really belong to either of those two sides.”
Quarles agreed, “Let’s not let low voter turnout be something that we suffer from again this year. Just get out the vote. I feel like I have the best chance of winning Kentucky.”
