Grayson backs GO Vote! campaign

The focus was on voting Thursday as Secretary of State Trey Grayson helped The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce launch its GO Vote! campaign at the business group's monthly Rooster Booster breakfast.

The Nov. 7 election is about a month away, and chamber officials are hoping to get city and county residents to make their choices from what Grayson called "the biggest ballot ever."

"Every 24 years we have this alignment," Grayson told the Executive Inn Rivermont crowd. "All the judges, countywide races, plus four- and six-year terms are on the ballot this year."

Grayson, who spends much of his time promoting civic engagement across the state, said businesses will be bombarded with requests for help during the election process.

"It's important not to be turned off, but to stay invigorated," he said. "The result, hopefully, is better government."

This is the third GO Vote! campaign. The first effort during the 2003 gubernatorial election helped bring 26,297 Daviess County voters to the polls. That 43.5 percent turnout beat the state average and topped Bowling Green/Warren County's total vote by 3,500 votes, according to the chamber's records.

Voting numbers make a difference to elected officials, said J. Todd Inman, chamber board chairman.
"As we advocate for you, and we did this in Washington and Frankfort, the response is different from elected officials when they know there are votes that count," Inman said.

Local businesses are partners in the GO Vote! campaign. In 2003 and 2004, some businesses created their own voting incentives.
The chamber and partners also are hosting forums in key races to give voters a chance to hear candidates' views.

"We don't have a number or percentage goal for turnout; our goal is to get as many voters as possible," Chamber President Jody Wassmer said. "In 2004, 100 companies told us they implemented at least one of our initiatives."

Wassmer encouraged chamber members to use their marquees once again to encourage voting and gave them two options for reaching their employees with the GO Vote! message -- paycheck stuffers or letters.

The sample stuffers and letters were e-mailed to chamber members Thursday.

Grayson added another option.

"Another thing you could do is give them a paid day of work if they choose to be a poll worker," he said.

Marietta Bosley and Gayle Lambert said the county needs more poll workers.

Grayson also presented a ceremonial check for $474,709 to Daviess County Clerk Mike Libs, Judge-Executive Reid Haire and state Rep. Joe Bowen as reimbursement for the cost of new voting equipment.

Most of the money, 95 percent, came from federal funds -- 5 percent was from the General Assembly.

Grayson said after the morning meeting he is not aware of any other chamber among Kentucky's largest metro areas that has initiated this kind of coordinated effort to boost voter turnout.