Tuesday, November 02, 1999
Thin ballot likely to draw few voters
Poor weather won't help turnout either
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS — One of the oddest, least-inspiring Kentucky election campaigns in memory ends today as less than 20 percent of the state's voters are expected to cast votes for governor.
Even fewer voters will turn out to vote in just a handful of local races in Boone and Camp bell counties, predict area election officials.
“I'm hoping we stay out of single digits” in voter turnout, said county Clerk Bill Aylor of Kenton County, where there are no local races or issues on the ballot.
“But there's not much for people to come out and vote for, even with the governor's race,” he said.
The weather is not expected to cooperate — the National Weather Service is predicting occasional rain, especially in the morning, with temperatures falling into the lower 40s by late afternoon.
The gubernatorial race will make history with the expected re-election of Democratic incumbent Paul Patton of Pikeville, the first governor since 1800 allowed to run for a consecutive term. Gubernatorial succession was approved by the state's voters in 1993.
But the race will probably be best remembered for how little the voters cared — the primary in May attracted only 3 percent of the local and 6 percent of the statewide voters — and for the uninspired mix of candidates:
• Republican Peppy Martin, who has accused Mr. Patton of being involved in murders and said most of the state's county sheriffs and a third of the state police sell drugs. She has provided no evidence for her allegations and has been snubbed by most of the GOP's leaders and elected officials.
Ms. Martin spent Monday campaigning in Louisville and predicting she would win by 50,000 votes.
• Reformer Gatewood Galbraith, a former Democratic making his third run for gover nor and his first with the rising Reform Party. Best known for his stance on legalizing marijuana, Mr. Galbraith has not captured the interest of voters like Reformers in other states.
Mr. Galbraith was touring the state in his campaign bus Monday, stopping at the state Capitol in Frankfort to try to generate some last-minute publicity with a charge that Mr. Patton has violated campaign finance rules.
• Mr. Patton has not been pushed by his opponents to debate specifics of his next term — they've mainly attacked his record — and has offered few details about what he will do for the next four years.
Also running for governor are Republican write-in Hoby Anderson of Greenup County and Natural Law Party candidate Nailah Jumoke-Yarbrough of Louisville.
Kentuckians usually love their politics, but this race has been so different that voters are staying away, said University of Kentucky political science professor Penny Miller.
“We thought we would have this great race with gubernatorial succession and the rise of the Republican Party in Kentucky,” she said. “But it's been different, not all that exciting. Even the media doesn't seem to care much.”
Also on today's ballot locally:
• Democrats running for the state's constitutional offices — auditor, secretary of state, treasurer, agriculture commissioner and attorney general — are unopposed for re-election.
• In Boone County, voters will choose a Boone/Gallatin county family court judge. Incumbent Linda Bramlage of Florence, appointed to the seat last year by Mr. Patton, is challenged by Boone County Attorney Larry Crigler in the nonpartisan race.
• In Campbell County, Democrat Mariann Guidugli Dunn, appointed to the position earlier this year, is challenged by Republican Kevin J. Gordon for property valuation administrator.
• In Newport, voters will decide if the city will sell its waterworks to the Northern Kentucky Water Service District.
• In Highland Heights, voters will be asked to approve an issue to fund the city's fire and ambulance service.
Also in Highland Heights, resident Billie Sandhas will cast the only vote involving an annexation issue.
She wants the city to deannex the property that is the site of her longtime family business, the Skyline Tavern on Johns Hill Road.
• In Kenton and Campbell counties, Independence Republican Anita Steffen is running for railroad commissioner against Democrat J.E. Combs. In Boone County, the railroad commissioner race pits Democrat Henry Spalding against Republican Todd Strecker.
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