Title X, Elections

costs. (1) A contest instituted under KRS 120.155 shall proceed as equity actions. Upon return of the summons properly executed to the office of the circuit clerk, he or she shall immediately docket the case and notify the presiding judge of the court that the contest has been fi…

Any party may appeal to the Court of Appeals from a judgment entered under KRS 120.155, in the same manner as provided in KRS 120.075, all of the provisions of which statute shall be applicable.

Recount proceeding -- Appeals -- General Assembly action regarding findings of court. (1) (a) 1. Any candidate who was voted for at a regular election for any of the offices to which KRS 120.155 applies, and who does not qualify for an automatic recount under KRS 120.157, may req…

Governor or by candidate for General Assembly. (1) Any slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor may contest any regular election or special election to the General Assembly by filing a written application and notice of the contest with the clerk of the Senate and …

Governor. When the election of a Governor and Lieutenant Governor is contested, a board for determining the contest shall be formed and shall proceed in the following manner: (1) On the third day after the organization of the General Assembly that meets next after the election, t…

(1) When the election of a member of the General Assembly is contested, the house to which he or she belongs or seeks to be a member shall, within three (3) days after its organization, and in the manner provided in KRS 120.205, select a board of not more than nine (9) nor less t…

(1) Any elector who was qualified to and did vote on any public question, other than a constitutional amendment or a question of local option under KRS Chapter 242, submitted to the voters of any county, city or district for their approval or rejection may contest the election or…

If a recount of the ballots is requested in a proceeding instituted under KRS 120.250, and the court has determined that the petition presents sufficient grounds, the court shall immediately order the ballots of the precincts in which the recount is demanded sent to the courthous…

Appeal. (1) If it appears in a proceeding instituted under KRS 120.250 that the result as certified is not correct, the correct result shall be ascertained and declared by the court and certified to the county board of election commissioners, and the judgment shall supersede the …

question. (1) Any elector who was qualified to and did vote on any constitutional convention, constitutional amendment, or statewide public question submitted to the voters of the state for their ratification or rejection may contest the election or demand a recount of the ballot…

amendment, or statewide public question. (1) If a contest instituted under KRS 120.280 involves the recount of ballots, and the court has determined that the petition of contest presents sufficient grounds, the court shall immediately order the ballots of the counties and precinc…

or amendment, or statewide public question. An appeal to the Court of Appeals may be prosecuted by any party to a contest instituted under KRS 120.280 in the same manner as in other contested election cases.

contest cases. The compensation of witnesses and officers taking depositions, and their powers and duties, shall be the same in election contest cases as in actions in equity.

It shall be unlawful for any candidate in any primary or general election to agree not to file a suit contesting the election, or to agree to dismiss or cease prosecuting such suit after it has been filed, in consideration of the payment or promise to pay to him, or to any other …

finance information. (1) The General Assembly finds and declares that: (a) The intent of disclosure of campaign finance information is to make that information about political contributions and expenditures accessible to the public; (b) The volume of campaign finance reports subm…

As used in this chapter: (1) "Registry" means the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance; (2) "Election" means any primary, regular, or special election to fill vacancies regardless of whether a candidate or slate of candidates is opposed or unopposed in an election. Each primary,…

No corporation authorized to do business in this state or in another state, and no officer or agent of a corporation on its behalf, shall contribute, either directly or indirectly, any money, service, or other thing of value towards the nomination or election of any state, county…

-- Aid to support a constitutional amendment, public issue, or building fund account permitted. (1) No corporation organized or authorized to do business in this state or in another state shall, by itself or by or through an officer, agent, attorney, or employee, subscribe, give,…

prohibited. No person and no agent of any person on his behalf, shall contribute, either directly or indirectly, any money, service, or other thing of value towards the nomination or election of any state, county, city, or district officer who, in his official capacity, is requir…

agreement or contract as to action when elected, in consideration for vote. No candidate for nomination or election to any state, county, city or district office shall expend, pay, promise, loan or become liable in any way for money or other thing of value, either directly or ind…

(1) No person who contributes more than the maximum legal contribution established by KRS 121.150 in any one (1) election to a slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor that is elected to office shall hold any appointive state office or position, which shall be mad…

(1) No publisher of newspapers, magazines, handbills, or other printed matter, owner or lessor of billboards, radio or television station or network, digital media platform, or any other person, company, corporation, or organization offering its communications services for hire t…

Compensation. (1) There is hereby created as an independent agency of state government a Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. The registry shall be composed of seven (7) members appointed as provided herein. The registry shall remain independent of any other agency or departmen…

Electronic reporting system -- Mandatory electronic reporting of campaign finance reports. (1) The registry may: (a) Require by special or general orders, any person to submit, under oath, any written reports and answers to questions as the registry may prescribe; (b) Administer …

general public. (1) The registry shall take such steps as may be necessary to furnish timely and adequate information to every candidate or prospective candidate for public office who becomes or is likely to become subject to the provisions of this chapter. The registry shall als…

(1) Any person may file a written request with the registry for an advisory opinion concerning the application of the provisions of this chapter or any administrative regulation promulgated by the registry with respect to a specific transaction or activity by the person. The regi…

order -- Appeal from final order -- Reference for possible prosecution -- Judicial review. (1) Upon the sworn complaint of any person, or on its own initiative, the registry shall investigate alleged violations of campaign finance law. In conducting any investigation, the registr…

(1) No contribution shall be made or received, directly or indirectly, other than an independent expenditure, to support inauguration activities or to support or defeat a candidate, slate of candidates, constitutional amendment, or public question which will appear on the ballot …

(1) Each candidate or slate of candidates shall, on a form prescribed and furnished by the registry, designate a campaign treasurer to act as their agent at the time they file as a candidate or slate of candidates, and until this requirement is met, the candidate or slate of cand…

Permanent committee by member of General Assembly prohibited -- Official contact person. (1) Any committee, except a federally registered political committee as defined in 52 U.S.C. sec. 30101(4)(a), organized under any provisions of this chapter shall register with the registry,…

expenditures -- Exclusive designation of contributions -- Information provided to potential contributors -- Separate bank account required -- Reports of contributions and expenditures. (1) A state executive committee of a political party may establish a building fund account. The…

Penalties. (1) (a) No candidate, committee, or contributing organization shall permit funds in a campaign account to be expended for any purpose other than for allowable campaign expenditures. (b) As used in this section, "allowable campaign expenditures": 1. Means expenditures i…

required of committees and treasurers -- Penalties -- Use of campaign funds -- Prohibited uses -- Disposition of unexpended campaign funds -- Electronic reporting -- "No change since last report" designation. (1) (a) 1. Persons becoming a candidate as defined in KRS 121.015(8) or…

(1) All newspaper or magazine advertising, posters, circulars, billboards, handbills, sample ballots, digital media, and paid-for television or radio announcements, or any other type of general public political advertising, which expressly advocate the election or defeat of a cle…

(1) Each candidate or slate of candidates may designate one (1) central campaign committee as a campaign committee. If so designated, the central campaign committee shall receive all reports made by any other campaign committee authorized in writing by the candidate or slate of c…

Statements. (1) Each candidate, slate of candidates, and each committee shall, before receiving any contributions or expending any money, designate one (1) primary campaign depository for the purpose of depositing all contributions received and disbursing all expenditures made by…

reports -- Audit. (1) (a) No state or local governing authority of a political party to which funds are remitted under KRS 141.071 to 141.073 shall use such funds other than in support of the party's candidates in a general election and for the administrative costs of maintaining…

national prohibited -- Independent expenditures -- Certification, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. (1) Upon registering a political issues committee, the treasurer shall file an accompanying certification that no preliminary activity was directly or indirectly funded by…

expenditures -- Duties relating to activity of foreign national -- Restrictions -- Presumption of violation. (1) Upon a political issues committee's receipt of a contribution, the treasurer shall obtain from the donor an affirmation that the donor is not a foreign national and ha…

(1) A foreign national shall not, directly or indirectly: (a) Make a donation, contribution, or expenditure in support or opposition of a ballot measure; (b) Solicit another person to make a donation, contribution, or expenditure to influence a ballot measure; or (c) Direct, dict…

-- Joint and several liability -- Penalties on lobbyists -- Damages. (1) The registry may bring a civil action to enforce KRS 121.250 and 121.252 and a committee, person, or entity alleged to have violated KRS 121.250 or 121.252 shall be provided full opportunity of notice, disco…

Restrictions on investigation and disclosure -- Penalty. (1) A lawful donor to a tax-exempt organization possesses a right of privacy in his or her donations. Any investigation of an alleged violation of KRS 121.250 or 121.252, or lawful court order in an action brought under KRS…

(1) No person shall coerce or direct any employee to vote for any political party or candidate for nomination or election to any office in this state, or threaten to discharge any employee if he votes for any candidate, or discharge any employee on account of his exercise of suff…

(1) No person shall obtain or attempt to obtain money by assessment or coercion from any state or federal employee with the purpose of using the money to promote or aid the candidacy of any person, or any political party, or any question to be voted upon by the voters of this sta…

certain contributors and fundraisers. (1) No elected official or any of his appointees shall knowingly award any nonbid contract with the governing authority which the elected official serves to any entity whose officers or employees, or the spouses of officers or employees, know…

(1) Any corporation or any officer, agent, attorney, or employee of a corporation, who knowingly violates any of the provisions of KRS 121.025, shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), and, in the case of individuals, be guilty of a Class D felony. (2) Any cor…