Millions of dollars pour in from outside Kentucky to influence voters on school funding amendment

FRANKFORT — More than $16 million will be spent wooing Kentuckians to vote for or against the so-called “school choice” amendment, making it the most expensive election ever over changing Kentucky’s 1891 Constitution.

In final pre-election campaign finance reports filed last week, each side has reported raising roughly $8 million, with those totals sure to go up after post-election reports are filed in late November. The campaign pits teacher unions opposed to the amendment against a billionaire school choice advocate from Pennsylvania.

It has seen Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear take to the airwaves against the amendment and for the first time spending big money from PACs he set up to promote his political goals after his reelection last year. Most of the $16 million comes from outside Kentucky. And much of it comes from mysterious “dark money” groups which structure themselves in a way that allows them to keep the names of their donors private.

Louisville Public Media has reported that the amount spent on campaigns for and against Amendment 2 is a record amount for any Kentucky constitutional amendment, more than double the roughly $7 million spent in 2022 on an abortion rights amendment. By comparison, spending over Amendment 2 is far less than the $70 million spent on last year’s race for governor.



https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/10/31/millions-of-dollars-pour-in-from-outside-kentucky-to-influence-voters-on-school-funding-amendment/