State Government

Leaders of the legislature's Republican majorities have said Beshear should have consulted with them before making major moves, such as his July 9 order to wear masks in indoor public spaces and outdoors when six feet of distance can't be maintained. The governor has said Republicans dislike the highly public role he is playing and are politically motivated.

Other public-health experts have expressed alarm at the change, Market Watch reports, largely because it is estimated that up to 40 percent of people who have the coronavirus don't have symptoms, but can still spread it. 

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 9. Any voter who has a health concern related to COVID-19 is allowed to make a request.

Two programs — $3.3 billion given to unemployed workers and $5.2 billion given to Kentucky businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program — expired at the end of July.

Secretary of State Michael Adams said that the state won’t be encouraging everyone to vote by mail, but it will ultimately be up to voters to determine how to cast their ballots.

Secretary of State Michael Adams expects the final criteria for who can cast ballots by mail will be “subjective,” allowing people to do so if they feel that they are at risk of contracting or having complications from coronavirus.

Beshear reported 425 new cases of the virus on Sunday, about 375 fewer than yesterday, but higher than a typical report on a Sunday, when fewer testing laboratories report to the state.

The governor reported 323 new cases on Monday and said 612 Kentuckians in the hospital with the virus, and 136 of them in intensive care.

Tuesday brought hopeful signs. The seven-day rolling average for the positive test rate fell to 5.08%, the first time it's gone down in four days, and the seven-day average of daily new cases fell to 590. Four days before, it had been 668, more than triple the average of 220 on July 1.

Beshear reported 532 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 28,128. The new cases include 21 children under age 5, with the youngest being 2 months old. Beshear said the state’s positivity rate dropped slightly to 5.08%.

About 75 percent of ballots cast in the June primary were by mail, when the state allow no-excuse absentee voting by mail.

The state’s positivity rate — the number of coronavirus tests that come back positive compared to the total number of tests — has steadily increased and is at its highest point in recent months, 5.41%.