30th Senate District Race and KFTC Candidate Survey

Registered voters in Senate District 30 will go to the polls on Tuesday, February 5 to ï¬ll the vacant State Senate seat of Daniel Mongiardo who was recently elected lieutenant governor. Democrat Scott Alexander and Republican Brandon Smith, selected by their respective parties, are facing one another in the special election. This upcoming special election in Senate District 30 (Bell, Harlan, Leslie, and Perry) impacts hundreds of KFTC members and their families.

We wanted to make people aware that it is a special election and that people needed to get out and make their voices heard. It's important for people to get out and vote. We wanted to make them take positions so when they're elected we can hold them accountable.  - James Combs, a Perry County KFTC Member

KFTC members in the district felt it was important to inform voters about the candidate's positions on issues important to the 30th District. They developed nine-question survey on topics ranging from coal industry accountability, economic development, health care, and tax reform. Each candidate was contacted several times by KFTC members to complete the survey. Representatives of candidate Scott Alexander told us on January 21 that he would not be submitting a response to the survey. Candidate Brandon Smith did not answer the survey, but instead sent a letter, which was included in the voter guide.

It was disappointing that neither candidates answered the questions in our survey, but I think we need to exercise our right to vote regardless of whether or not we're discouraged with politics as usual. - Ann Schertz, a Harlan County KFTC Member

Still, members sent Voter Guides to nearly 1,000 members and contacts in the 30th district asking them to educate themselves on the candidates and vote. This could have a powerful impact on an election with a relatively low expected voter turnout.