Secretary Grimes Partners with Ky. Electric Cooperatives to Improve Rural Voter Turnout

042716GrimesCoops
Courtesy of the Office of Secretary of State
FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 27, 2016) - Secretary of State Alison Lundergan today joined
the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives (KAEC) in launching the
organization's "Co-ops Vote" campaign. She spoke to high school students
representing each of the Kentucky cooperatives in Frankfort, and urged them to get
out the vote in their home areas.

"As a Commonwealth, we have work to do to increase voter turnout in all of our
elections - especially in rural Kentucky where turnout is below the state average in
almost every cycle," said Grimes. "I appreciate our electric cooperatives working
hard to urge citizens in rural areas to vote in this important election year. I am
excited to be a partner in their efforts as we continue to work to get more
Kentuckians to the polls."

In the 2012 elections, decline in voter turnout in rural counties was approximately
18 percent, which equaled twice the decline in the United States overall. In last
year's General Election, 66 of Kentucky's 120 counties - many of them rural - failed
to meet the 30 percent statewide turnout average.

Co-ops Vote is a non-partisan effort to boost voter turnout in areas served by
electric cooperatives across the country to ensure that the voices of rural electric
members are heard loud and clear every day, and especially on Election Day.

"We appreciate Secretary Grimes lending her voice and commitment to civic engagement
to the Co-ops Vote campaign," said Chris Perry, president and CEO of KAEC. "It is
our hope that the Co-ops Vote effort furthers Secretary Grimes' considerable efforts
to protect the right to vote, improve ballot access and encourage Kentuckians to
show up on Election Day."

Co-ops Vote was developed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
(NRECA), the national service organization that represents the nation's more than
900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. With 42 million
members across the nation, electric co-ops are a powerful voice on national issues
that have a local impact.

"I have long held the belief that Kentucky is at its best when more of our citizens'
voices are heard - that means showing up to vote," said Grimes. "If we are to begin
to solve any of the problems that face our state and country, we must continue
spreading the message that voting is one of the first steps in the process."

Grimes recently launched online voter registration in Kentucky. She embarked on a
statewide voter registration effort which resulted in more than 22,000 Kentuckians
updating and registering to vote online. Grimes also launched
GoVoteKY.com<govoteky.com>, which serves as a one-stop portal for voter resources,
including sample ballots, polling locations, and other important information.