FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Personnel Board has voted to investigate Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes’ use of the state’s voter registration database.
Kentucky State Board of Elections Executive Director Jared Dearing asked the board to investigate. He said Grimes and her office have been using the database to look up the political party affiliation of current and potential employees.
Grimes, as Secretary of State, is chairwoman of the State Board of Elections.
Dearing said a person who worked for Grimes pressured him to hire someone who was a registered Democrat instead of someone who is a registered Republican. Dearing said he hired the Republican but gave the Democrat a contract job.
Stephen Amato, an attorney who represents the State Board of Elections, said Dearing has provided no evidence the board hired employees based on political affiliations.
