Metcalfe Selected for Post-Election Audit

By Allyson Dix

Jobe Publishing, Inc.

 

Metcalfe County was randomly selected for a post-election audit by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman on November 20. In a press conference, which streamed live for viewers, Coleman selected 12 counties per Kentucky state law that will undergo a series of inquiries by the Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

DCI will interview county clerks, election officials, and voters in the 12 counties and detectives will review records. Prosecutors will present those findings from the investigators to the grand juries in each of the respective counties, Coleman said.

Kentuckians reported more than 700 calls of election fraud to the AG’s election law hotline and nearly 350 on election day. According to the attorney general’s website, which the last update was on November 8, Metcalfe County received no election day complaints.

However, the random drawing of 12 counties isn’t based on those complaints, because the selections are due to a series of election reform laws passed by the General Assembly a few years ago. Originally, at least six counties were required to be randomly chosen but in 2022, the passage of Senate Bill 216 bumped that to 12 counties.

Prior to the drawing, Coleman signed a document that he said certifies that all 120 Kentucky counties were in the barrel from which he drew.

“We at the AGs office stood and stand to protect the security of the ballot and the integrity of our very election,” Coleman said in the press conference, adding that the state’s Election Integrity Command Center team of prosecutors, staff, and investigators with federal, state, and local collaborators were able to respond to each inquiry and every voter fraud report that came in.

Coleman said as a result of Kentuckians’ reports of voter fraud, multiple investigations have been opened but due to being active investigations, no information can be given regarding them.

Coleman thanked those who took time to report suspected election law violations.

“They each did their part, each of them, to help protect our elections,” Coleman said.

On election day, the fraud hotline received more than 150 complaints from Jefferson County alone on election day, which was one of the randomly selected counties.

“We’re undertaking this effort to help every Kentuckian have faith that their elections are free, fair, and secure,” Coleman said.

Other counties selected include Edmonson, Barren, Warren, Trigg, Jefferson, Lincoln, Campbell, Boyle, Daviess, Calloway, and Jessamine.