Gambling May be On Kentucky Ballot in November

For the 1st time in more than 10 years, Clark County voters in Kentucky are likely to be asked if they want to allow riverboat casino gambling. A petition calling for a referendum on the issue was presented to the county clerk's office, just minutes before the noon deadline to submit questions for the Nov. 7th general election ballot.

Shirley Bell, the clerk's chief deputy, said petition organizers claimed to have 818 signatures, more than enough to qualify. Bell said 463 valid names would be needed 2% of the number voting in the last election for secretary of state in 2002.

Assuming enough signatures are validated, the issue would be on the ballot for the first time since the county's voters rejected riverboat gambling in 1993 and 1995. Although no casino licenses are available in Indiana, a move to put the question back before Clark voters has been under way for roughly two years.

John Perkins, a Democratic member of the Jeffersonville City Council, has been one of the leading supporters of such a referendum. But he said yesterday that he dropped his petition campaign and had no idea that a separate drive existed.

Yesterday's petition contained the names of many prominent Republicans, including former New Albany Mayor Regina Overton, who now lives in Jeffersonville; Glenn Murphy Jr., chairman of the county's Republican Party; and Jeffersonville City Councilmen Ron Grooms and Ed Zastawny.

Grooms said he would not support a casino for Clark County but thinks voters should decide the issue for themselves.

August 2, 2006
Posted By Larry Rutherford
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