A recently formed group whose purpose is to help protect Second Amendment rights will be helping Lewis Countians exercise their right to vote in this month’s special election.
John Rayburn, an organizer and spokesman for United Kentucky/Lewis County, said the group will meet Saturday (February 15) at 5:00 p.m. on the third floor of the Lewis County Courthouse to discuss ways to get out the vote on February 25.
The special election is to choose a state representative to complete the unexpired term of Rocky Adkins.
Richard White is the Republican candidate and Bill Redwine is the Democratic candidate. Both men are from Morehead
The time remaining for the term will end December 31.
The 99th District is comprised of Lewis, Rowan, and Elliott counties. Adkins resigned from the seat on December 10 to serve as senior advisor for Gov. Andy Beshear.
Lewis County Schools will be closed on that special election day because many of the county’s voting locations are in school facilities. Voters will vote in the same precincts as in the past election.
County Clerk Glenda Himes said the polls will be open in Lewis County from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on February 25 and added absentee voting is now available by machine in her office. Paper ballots by mail may also be requested from her office.
She said the cost of the special election in Lewis County is expected to be about $30,000.
Himes says she is hoping for a good turnout. Special elections, with only one race on the ballot, typically do not attract high numbers of voters.
Rayburn says he hopes the efforts of United Kentucky/Lewis County will help improve numbers of eligible voters turning out to cast their ballots.
“We’ve never had a turnout of more than 10 percent for a special election in Lewis County,” Rayburn said. “I would like us to have up to 30 percent turnout to let Frankfort politicians know Lewis County voters are voting.”
He urges anyone interested in helping with the effort to attend Saturday’s meeting.
“We will have precinct-by-precinct efforts to ensure as many people who want to vote will be able to do so,” Rayburn said. “We want there to be no reason for someone not to be able to vote for the candidate of their choice.
Rayburn said the effort is non-partisan, adding the group does not endorse or will be campaigning for any candidate.
The General Assembly convened for the 60-day legislative session on January 7.
Lawmakers will meet through April 1, then recess until April 14, to consider overrides of any gubernatorial vetoes.
The final day of the session will be April 15.
The meeting will also allow Rayburn and other organizers to update new members and interested citizens on the efforts of the group locally and statewide since the group was organized to help protect Second Amendment rights.
“We will be updating everyone on the January 31st Rally in Frankfort as well as what we have accomplished and what our plans are moving forward to protect our Second Amendment rights,” Rayburn said.
“We hope to set a record for Lewis County on getting the highest turnout for a special election,” he added.
For more information about the project, or about United Kentucky/Lewis County, contact Rayburn at 606-315-4400, or any administrator or moderator on the group’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/574569670049495/).
