Woodford Board of Education Chair Dani Bradley did not break a state election law when she served as a precinct officer during the May 17 primary, according to Woodford County Clerk Sandy Jones and Kentucky’s assistant Secretary of State.
Multiple people who chose not to be identified asked the Sun whether Bradley violated KRS 117.045 9C, which states, “An election officer shall not be a candidate for office during the election year.” Jenni Scutchfield, the assistant Secretary of State, said as long as Bradley didn’t file candidacy papers until after the primary, the law wasn’t broken. Jones confirmed that Bradley filed for this November’s election after the primary and Bradley said she did so June 6, the day before the filing deadline for nonpartisan races.
Bradley was also a precinct officer for the November 2020 election and an alternate in that year’s primary, and said serving in that capacity is something of a family tradition.
“My grandma was an elections worker for over 50 years where I grew up (in Ohio) and she took me each election, and I’m sure it was because my parents needed help keeping us, because schools were closed on Election Day. … She would let me do the kids’ poll and we had ballots where the kids could vote for Abraham Lincoln or George Washington … It was something that has been part of my family’s commitment to community forever,” she said.
Bradley, chuckling, said being a precinct officer is hardly a glamorous occupation.
“ … You get up at 4 o’clock (in the morning) and be at Falling Springs by 5 and leave there at 8 (p.m.). It’s a long day, but it’s the right thing and it never entered my mind that any doubt would be cast on me …” she said.