By AP
Frankfort, KY – The Kentucky Senate has passed legislation that would allow registered independents to vote in Democratic and Republican primaries. The proposal, championed by Republican Senator Jimmy Higdon, was approved 23-13 Thursday. Higdon says the legislation, if it becomes law, would allow some 200,000 independent voters to take part in Kentucky's primary elections. They could only vote for candidates of one party, not switch between the two. Similar measures have failed in the past because of concern that voters from one party might register as independents to affect the outcome of the other party's primary. Higdon's proposal sets a December 31st deadline for registering independents to discourage that from happening.