© 2024 Louisville Public Media

Public Files:
89.3 WFPL · 90.5 WUOL-FM · 91.9 WFPK

For assistance accessing our public files, please contact info@lpm.org or call 502-814-6500
89.3 WFPL News | 90.5 WUOL Classical 91.9 WFPK Music | KyCIR Investigations
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Stream: News Music Classical

Election 2012 Live Blog | Polls Close in Louisville After Day of 'Heavy' Turnout

????????????????????????????????????

Update 6 p.m.: And polls are closing in Louisville.Some voters in a few polling places who had gotten in line before 6 p.m. were still waiting to vote, said Nore Ghibaudy, spokesman for the Jefferson County Clerk's Office. Update 4:25 p.m. Polling places in Louisville have lines, and elections officials anticipate that those lines will lengthen as last-minute voters leave work and cast ballots before the 6 p.m. deadline., said Nore Ghibaudy, spokesman for the Jefferson County Clerk's Office.Voters who are in line at 6 p.m. will be allowed to cast ballots, Ghibaudy said.But, at 6, a sheriff's deputy will go to the end of each line and turn away anyone who shows up late, Ghibaudy said.So far, lines have moved well at Jefferson County polling places, where turnout has been "heavy," he said.Update 2 p.m.: Polls close in Louisville in four hours. Voters throughout the county are encountering lines, but they're moving well, said Nore Ghibaudy, spokesman for the Jefferson County Clerk's Office.One possible reason: Jefferson County ballots have but one side this year, with only a handful of races for people to vote in, he said.No major problems have been reported from the county's 272 polling places since they opened, he said."We feel comfortable that everything is going well," Ghibaudy said.The Kentucky Secretary of State's office is predicting record turnout. Indiana's Secretary of State doesn't predict turnout, but has said that absentee ballots were on par with the 2008 general election.Update 11:45 a.m.: By 10: 30 a.m., Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway's office received 60 reports of voting irregularities -- including 26 in Jefferson County -- through its voter fraud hotline.  Many of the calls throughout the state were simply procedural questions, but others were reports of irregularities with voting machines, election officials and improper electioneering near polling places.The Election Fraud Hotline will be staffed from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern and can be reached at (800) 328-VOTE, or (800) 328-8683.  Here's the rundown: Calls County Reason 26 Jefferson 14 Procedural Questions, 8 Voting Machine, 2 Election Official, 2 Electioneering within 300' of Polls 1 Barren Electioneering within 300' of Polls 1 Boone Procedural Question 1 Boyle Procedural Question 1 Breckinridge Special or Absentee Ballot 1 Calloway Procedural Question 1 Christian Procedural Question 4 Clark 2 Procedural Questions, 1Election Official, 1 Voting Machine 1 Clay Vote Buying/Selling 1 Cumberland Procedural Question 3 Fayette 1 Election Official, 1 Procedural Question, 1 Residency 1 Harrison Voting Machine 3 Jessamine 2 Voting Machine, 1 Procedural Question 2 Kenton 1 Procedural Question, 1 Voting Machine 3 Laurel 3 Procedural Questions 1 Letcher Procedural Question 3 Madison 2 Procedural Questions, 1 Voting Machine 1 Nicholas Voting Machine 2 Oldham 2 Procedural Questions 1 Shelby Legal Question 1 Unknown County Procedural Question 1 Woodford Election OfficialUpdate 10:45 a.m.: Bonnie and Bernard Hardy have voted at Jeffersontown High School for more than eight years -- and they'd never seen turnout as they saw at 9 a.m. Tuesday."This is the most we've seen since we've been coming here," Bonnie Hardy said.Why? Bernard Hardy had a theory."I think a lot of people here are concerned about Social Security," he said.Bonnie Hardy said she was surprised that -- despite the increased foot-traffic at J'town High -- they were able to get in and out of the polling place quickly.Likewise, Clarence Wordlow said the foot traffic at J'town High was "steady" -- more so in the past five or so times he's voted there."I think people are more or less looking to keep it moving forward," Wordlow said, the "it" meaning the country.Earlier: Voting began at 6 a.m. Tuesday in Louisville for the 2012 election and turnout, so far, has been "very heavy," said Nore Ghibaudy, spokesman for the Jefferson County Clerk's Office.Three polling places of 272 in Jefferson County had delays in opening, but all were now running, Ghibaudy said. Many polling places had lines when they opened, he added.Ghibaudy advised voter to know which precinct they'll be voting in before getting in line at a polling place, to avoid waiting in the wrong line. Voters can find their precinct information here.The clerk's office is anticipating the percentage of turnout in Jefferson County to be in the mid- to high-70s, Ghibaudy said.WFPL.org will provide updates on the voting throughout the day and into the night. Special election coverage at 89.3 WFPL begins at 7 p.m. with the BBC, followed by NPR at 8.Go here for a guide of what to expect in today's elections.

Joseph Lord is the online managing editor for WFPL.