Open Ballot Box Stirs Election Intrigue

The discovery of an open absentee ballot drop box at the Breathitt County Courthouse on Friday, April 11, sparked pre-election drama with less than five weeks to go before the county goes to the polls.

According to information learned about the incident, a candidate for office in the May Primary noticed the top lock of the ballot box ajar as he passed the box heading into the Courthouse at approximately 12:24 p.m. on Friday.  He opened the door and looked inside the box.

The silver box sat near the steps of the courthouse and was designed to receive absentee ballots that were dropped off while the Breathitt County Clerk’s Office was closed.

The unnamed candidate continued into the courthouse and later emerged.

Several other officials walked to the front of the courthouse and took photos of the box.

A member of the Election Board went to the site and opened the door to take additional photos.

More than an hour later, the Clerk’s office was notified of the open box, and two deputy clerks went to the box and secured, with the help of the Democrat and Republican representatives on the Election Board, a single ballot that was reportedly inside.

The discovery comes just days before the Breathitt County Election Board was set to begin emptying the box daily following a scheduled meeting on Monday, April 13.  At that time, keys would have been distributed.

A courthouse official later said that a key was already in possession of an unnamed Election Board member before the meeting.

According to state officials, the online portal to request an absentee ballot opened on Saturday, April 4, and the first absentee ballots were mailed on Wednesday.

Some used the occasion to question the integrity of the election process on social media, but courthouse officials said that the front of the courthouse and the ballot box were “covered by surveillance equipment and a camera” that was operational at the time the open box was discovered.

The footage of what transpired at the box was retrieved from the courthouse security system camera, but it has not been released as of press time on April 15.

At the recommendation of the Kentucky Board of Elections, the Jackson Police Department removed the absentee ballot box on Monday evening at the request of the Kentucky Board of Elections and stored it “as evidence.”

The state board issued a new absentee ballot box to the county, which was picked up in Frankfort on Tuesday and installed later that afternoon on April 14.

The absentee ballot discovered in the open box was placed in a ballot holding bin in the Breathitt County Clerk’s Office and will be counted at noon on election day.