The May primary, believe it or not, is only 55 days away.

Kentucky's secretary of state is already working to increase voter turnout from last year's election.

Our KC Parker Ball was in Frankfurt, where Secretary Adams pushed students to get out and vote.

We need your help.

We need your help to vote.

We need your help to get turnout up.

Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams spoke to a group of about 100 high school students today about voter engagement.

He encouraged the students to sign up to vote and to convince others to do so.

And the people in this building, in the building just next to us, the Capitol, they listen to everybody, but they listen most of the people who vote.

This is the bottom line.

They listen to the people that show up and are part of this process.

The speech was part of the Kentucky Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.

Last year's general election had the lowest voter turnout for a midterm in almost 30 years.

Adams offered some ideas for ways to increase the turnout.

I also think it would be better to get independents involved in the primaries because independents are 10% of registered voters in Kentucky.

That's a big chunk.

It's it's grown rapidly the last several years.

But they were only 4% of the voters in November.

Right.

So they're registering.

But then they're not actually showing up.

I do think that if we open the primaries, independent voters, it would incentivize them to participate, to feel more included, and then they would also but more in November.

But even with low numbers last year, Adams says that this year he expects more eyes to be on Kentucky and more dollars being spent on voter turnout.

With the state hosting one of the most competitive governor's races in the country.

I do.

I do think that you'll see quite a bit of money coming into our state.

That's not a criticism.

I think it's a good thing.

That's what drives turnout is is funding and information advertising, grassroots activism.

I expect that both sides will have a big presence in Kentucky.

I think we've got the most competitive race in America on our ballot this year, and that will draw a lot of interest organically as well as from outside.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Cassie Parker, Belle.

The Kentucky secretary of state, has partnered with Kentucky Electric Cooperatives to increase voter turnout since 2015.

Secretary Adams says the partnership has led to an increase in rural voter turnout.

Kentucky's primary election is May 16th.