Senate Passes Bill Aimed at Reducing Costs of Uncontested Special Elections

Lawmakers in both chambers have passed a bill aimed at reducing the cost of uncontested special legislative elections. Kentucky House lawmakers passed the measure weeks ago, while it passed the Senate today.The bill was proposed by Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes to help cut costs to her office and county clerks.State Senator Damon Thayer says the bill will cut back on the multiple voting locations which are currently required by law when there’s only one election and one candidate on the ballot. The bill won’t affect elections where multiple candidates are running.“This bill would allow cost-savings for counties and therefore the taxpayers, by allowing this basically formality vote to be held in one location,” Thayer says.The latest instance of such an election was this year. Representative Regina Bunch ran uncontested to replace her injured husband, former legislator Dewayne Bunch.The bill now goes to the governor for his signature before becoming law.