Ballot measure to move Kentucky elections to presidential years gains steam

[heatcharger]

Link.

Via constitutional amendment. Starting in 2024, and with other row offices as well. It passed the State House 24-11, so it's most likely gonna pass the State House perfectly fine. Not sure what the % needed on the ballot measure is though.

Interesting. Might be time to defund the Kentucky Democratic Party.

[MAINEiac4434]

So will someone serve a five year term (serving 2019-2024) or a one-year term (2023-2024)?

[Former Kentuckian]

So will someone serve a five year term (serving 2019-2024) or a one-year term (2023-2024)?

This has been bumping around for a while and the plan in the past was that someone would serve a five year term. Not sure if that's still the case.

I'm on the fence about this. Democrats (or least some of us) here believe this will boost Republicans, but I'm not sure it will help Republicans anymore than the current way we're doing things does. Turnout for our last gubernatorial election was freaking pathetic and Bevin arguably benefited (at least a little) from that. And it's not as if the Democratic nominee for President is always an anchor around the necks of downballot candidates. In 2016, Hillary won 32.7% of the vote and only two counties while Dem nominee for Senate Jim Gray won 42.7% and seven counties (and outperformed 2014 nominee Alison Grimes, who had a much larger campaign operation).

I guess I just don't know how I feel about it. Part of me thinks moving it to a presidential year would actually help Dems a little, but I just don't know....

[Mr.Phips]

Dems need to do this in Illinois pronto.

[IceSpear]

Dems need to do this in Illinois everywhere they can pronto.

[MAINEiac4434]

Dems need to do this in Illinois everywhere they can pronto.

You guys wanna lower midterm turnout more? It’ll just make voters less engaged than they already are.

[IceSpear]

Dems need to do this in Illinois everywhere they can pronto.

You guys wanna lower midterm turnout more? It’ll just make voters less engaged than they already are.

I'd prefer abolishing midterms altogether. But since that will never happen, moving as much as possible to presidential years is great.

[Keep cool-idge]

Dems need to do this in Illinois everywhere they can pronto.

You guys wanna lower midterm turnout more? It’ll just make voters less engaged than they already are.

I'd prefer abolishing midterms altogether. But since that will never happen, moving as much as possible to presidential years is great.

Uh no I think odd numbered elections should be done away with but midterms no way.

[Nyvin]

Dems need to do this in Illinois everywhere they can pronto.

You guys wanna lower midterm turnout more? It’ll just make voters less engaged than they already are.

I'd prefer abolishing midterms altogether. But since that will never happen, moving as much as possible to presidential years is great.

Uh no I think odd numbered elections should be done away with but midterms no way.

Move everything to Presidential years and then make Election Day a federally recognized holiday.

[Keep cool-idge]

Dems need to do this in Illinois everywhere they can pronto.

You guys wanna lower midterm turnout more? It’ll just make voters less engaged than they already are.

I'd prefer abolishing midterms altogether. But since that will never happen, moving as much as possible to presidential years is great.

Uh no I think odd numbered elections should be done away with but midterms no way.

Move everything to Presidential years and then make Election Day a federally recognized holiday.

Election Day I think should be a federal holiday but we have to have midterms.

[Former Kentuckian]

I hate off-year elections, but I'm fine with midterms. I like midterms because I like the idea of having a referendum on the presidency.

[GlobeSoc]

I hate off-year elections, but I'm fine with midterms. I like midterms because I like the idea of having a referendum on the presidency.

[YE]

I hate off-year elections, but I'm fine with midterms. I like midterms because I like the idea of having a referendum on the presidency.

This plus the fact the governor races would be overshadowed by presidential races.

[MAINEiac4434]

I hate off-year elections, but I'm fine with midterms. I like midterms because I like the idea of having a referendum on the presidency.

This plus the fact the governor races would be overshadowed by presidential races.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Would a gubernatorial candidate have the right to run for president simultanously, too?
Or would he suffer the same fate as Ron Paul's ne'er-do-well son?

[Mr. Matt]

Dems need to do this in Illinois pronto.

They were previously (1976's election was for a two-year term before the switch to midterms), though I can't easily find the reasoning behind the switch and who instigated it.

[Former Kentuckian]

Would a gubernatorial candidate have the right to run for president simultanously, too?
Or would he suffer the same fate as Ron Paul's ne'er-do-well son?

Pretty sure it's state law all around that you can't run for two offices at the same time here. Rand was just barely able to get away with having the Republican primary turned into a caucus (which he literally paid for lmao), but withdrew before it even took place. I don't think the ballot measure will change that law.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Good.

[henster]

WV & MO have this and its a mixed bag for Dems not really sure it will really help the GOP.

[Kevinstat]

WV & MO have this and its a mixed bag for Dems not really sure it will really help the GOP.

And on the other side of the partisan divide, you had a really close Gubernatorial race in Washington in 2004 while John Kerry won the state by 7%.

[IceSpear]

I hate off-year elections, but I'm fine with midterms. I like midterms because I like the idea of having a referendum on the presidency.

What's the point? At this point, midterms just seem to be an opportunity for the butthurt losers of the previous presidential election to turnout disproportionately and kneecap the president regardless of their performance.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Dems need to do this in Illinois everywhere they can pronto.

You guys wanna lower midterm turnout more? It’ll just make voters less engaged than they already are.

I'd prefer abolishing midterms altogether. But since that will never happen, moving as much as possible to presidential years is great.

Uh no I think odd numbered elections should be done away with but midterms no way.

Move everything to Presidential years and then make Election Day a federally recognized holiday.

wouldn't ballots be like a million miles long?

My thought is that congressional midterms should be abolished (as was planned in the LBJ days), and all states have their gubernatorial/ legislatures in the "midterm".

[Virginiá]

Move everything to Presidential years and then make Election Day a federally recognized holiday.

wouldn't ballots be like a million miles long?

Probably, but it would also depend on the state. Texas would probably be brutal. Same for other Southern states that choose to make practically everything an elected office. I do think there is a good argument for getting rid of odd-year elections and other elections that take place on a separate day, but moving everything to presidential years would be quite tedious. It would be better to just move all the odd-year/off-day local elections to either a midterm primary or a midterm general election day. That way we all have just two election days every 2 years: primary and the general (aside from special elections). This would save money and in many cases, increase turnout.

My thought is that congressional midterms should be abolished (as was planned in the LBJ days), and all states have their gubernatorial/ legislatures in the "midterm".

Wouldn't that eliminate the chance for the public to "weigh in" on a presidency via midterms? They would basically be stuck with whatever they vote in for 4 years, right? I do think there are good arguments for and against that.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

The benefit of most states electing their governors in off years, instead of during presidential elections, is that local issues aren't overshadowed by the national campaign.  State politics generally isn't as polarizing as national politics is, but that could very well change if more states decide to elect their governor the same time the country chooses the president.

If I were a voter in Kentucky or any other state that had this as a ballot measure, I would vote against it.  The midterms are far more appropriate for these contests.

[GlobeSoc]

The benefit of most states electing their governors in off years, instead of during presidential elections, is that local issues aren't overshadowed by the national campaign.  State politics generally isn't as polarizing as national politics is, but that could very well change if more states decide to elect their governor the same time the country chooses the president.

If I were a voter in Kentucky or any other state that had this as a ballot measure, I would vote against it.  The midterms are far more appropriate for these contests.