Michael G. Adams | Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Michael G. Adams

District/Office: 
Political party: 
Republican
Question 1: 

What is your vision for strengthening civic participation in Kentucky? How will our commonwealth be better in four years if you are elected?

I'm running to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat, and to restore Kentuckian's faith in our Secretary of State's office and our election processes. I'll bring my election expertise from having engaged in elections in all 50 states. Four years from now the SOS office will be out of the headlines again, quietly doing its job to cleanly facilitate our elections.

Question 2: 

How does your background qualify you for serving in this office? Please provide examples of your advocacy to protect and promote civic engagement in Kentucky.

I'm the only SOS candidate of either party who actually has election experience (other than as a candidate). I have a prestigious, national election law practice, and relevant credentials no other candidate can match. I've actively promoted civic engagement via helping candidates get their messages to voters since 1992.

Question 3: 

What is your view on modernizing state election laws? Specifically, do you support allowing early voting, mail-in ballots, extended hours at polling locations, offering ballots in multiple languages and other election reforms? Please explain.

  • Reduce wait times for early voting by amending KRS 117.085(1)(c) to clarify that a county clerk may place early-voting machines in any of the clerk’s office locations.
  • Make voting by mail easier by amending KRS 117.085(1)(a)(7) to permit the choice of absentee voting in person or by mail.
  • Allow change of party registration to be available to residents until the voter registration deadline (rather than requiring party affiliation changes be made the year before the election) by amending KRS 116.055.
  • Support Senate Bill 134 to extend voting hours from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. local time to give more working people a chance to get to the polls.
Question 4: 

If you become Secretary of State, what will you do to increase voter registration and turnout?

As someone who literally has dedicated my career to the election process, I'll be a tireless advocate for voter participation, improved civic knowledge, and mutual understanding between people of different beliefs.

Question 5: 

Do you support a constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to the tens of thousands of Kentuckians with felonies in their past who have completed their sentence? Please explain.

The Secretary of State, unlike a legislator, has no role in legislation to place a measure on the ballot to amend the constitution. However, in my capacity as a voter, I would not support a constitutional amendment that automatically restores voting rights to any person convicted of felony election fraud.