Kentucky National Guard to assist local officials on Election Day

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky National Guard is preparing to assist local officials at polling locations in 38 counties on Election Day.

About 280 guardsmen will provide logistical and administrative support next Tuesday, Guard officials said. They are stepping in because many poll workers and volunteers are typically in a high-risk category for contracting COVID-19.

The guardsmen will perform non-election officer duties that include setting up and cleaning polling locations and assisting with traffic, parking and crowd control, officials said.

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The guardsmen will not wear military attire, and their support will be in a non-law-enforcement capacity under the direction of election officers. They will not perform any duties reserved for trained election officials.

Kentucky’s State Board of Elections reached out to counties to determine what support election sites might need, then vetted those requests and asked the Guard to provide support, officials said.

Guardsmen provided similar assistance during the state’s primary election in June.