WASHINGTON (AP) — Overwhelmed Kentucky and New York officials faced a deluge of mail-in votes likely to delay results for days after high-profile primaries Tuesday, contests testing if establishment incumbent Democratic congressional candidates can withstand challengers fueled by voter fury over racism.
The day's poster child for voting nightmares loomed in Louisville, Kentucky. The state's largest city and hometown of a serious challenger for the Democratic nomination for the Senate, Louisville — population nearly 600,000 — had just one in-person polling place. Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams said he hoped early voting and the large demand for mail-in ballots would avert long lines.
All of this flowed from the coronavirus pandemic, which has upended life in America since March. On Tuesday it was on track to take its toll on voters hoping to cast ballots without long waits and for officials hoping to declare winners quickly.
Like other states, Kentucky and New York have made it easier for voters to cast ballots by mail instead of risking exposure to the virus by waiting in long lines. That is likely to mean delayed election results caused by a perfect storm — far more mail-in votes than usual and ballot-counting procedures that have not been adjusted to handle them.
The focus was on two races Tuesday. In both, Democrats were waiting to see if nationwide protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis would translate to more turnout by African American and progressive voters.
Amy McGrath, favored by party leaders and buoyed by a massive $41 million war chest, faced an eleventh-hour scare as she fought to become Democratic nominee against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. She's a former Marine combat pilot with centrist views, which top Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer view as a strong match for the Republican-heavy state.
But freshman state legislator Charles Booker's underfinanced campaign caught fire after he attended recent protests against the March police killing of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor in her Louisville home. That's helped Booker win support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the state's two largest newspapers, leaving the primary's outcome unpredictable.
In New York, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, embraced by a who's who of prominent Democrats, was battling for a 17th House term.
His challenger is educator and political neophyte Jamaal Bowman, who has drawn strength from antiracism protests and his accusations that Engel has grown aloof from his district in parts of the Bronx and Westchester County. Engel, a liberal, has support from the likes of Hillary Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Congressional Black Caucus. He's also outspent Bowman, who's been helped by progressive groups and a coveted endorsement by The New York Times.
Virginia was also holding congressional primaries, and there was one Republican House runoff each in North Carolina and Mississippi.
Kentucky has been overwhelmed by such an increase in mail-in ballots that the state's two biggest counties, Jefferson and Fayette, are not planning to release results election night, said Secretary of State Michael Adams. Jefferson County is home to Louisville.
Kentucky typically receives few mail-in ballots, but expects them to account for the majority of votes this time. With the state now allowing any registered voter to vote by mail, more than 400,000 mail ballots were returned as of Sunday. All received by Saturday will be counted.
New York officials expect the vast majority of votes to be mail ballots this year, compared to their typical 5% share. Counties have until eight days after Election Day to count and release the results of mail ballots, with 1.7 million requested by voters.
Other notable contests Tuesday included an effort by one-time CNBC anchor and former Republican Michelle Caruso-Cabrera to grab the Democratic nomination from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Ocasio-Cortez, who has become a progressive icon, was an unknown 28-year-old when she won a 2018 primary over longtime Rep. Joe Crowley, who seemed in line to become House speaker.
As Tuesday's voting approached, President Trump continued his effort to undermine Americans' faith in mail-in voting by repeating his unfounded claim that the system is rife with fraud.
"Because of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, 2020 will be the most RIGGED Election in our nations history — unless this stupidity is ended," he tweeted, accusing proponents of "using Covid in order to cheat."
There has been no evidence of this.
Already this year, problems of long lines and lost mail-in ballots have plagued elections in Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
By ALAN FRAM
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