LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky lawmakers met Tuesday afternoon to discuss election security, an effort to debunk what they said were misconceptions about fraud.

Assistant Secretary of State Jenni Scutchfield told lawmakers that one misconception among the public is that voting machines are connected to the internet and thus voting totals are susceptible to outside influence. Scutchfield denied this, pointing out that no voting machines contain a modem or have any access to the internet.

She added that the vote totals are tabulated by the County Board of Elections, which consists of the sheriff, the county clerk and one representative from the Democratic and Republican parties. 

Additionally, she said county clerks must maintain a record of the number of ballots issued to each precinct and create what's called a ballot accountability statement, which accounts for the total number of ballots used, unused and spoiled on Election Day. 

Still, Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, who has been criticized by top election officials for spreading election misinformation, spoke in front of the committee in support of a system utilizing hand-counted ballots.

"I have a constituent that texts me and asked me to share this, and it's certainly not the first time I've said something similar," Southworth said. "A lot of concerns about vulnerable election machines. They want paper ballots and hand counts at the precinct level." 

But not everyone agreed. Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, expressed his disapproval of such a system.

"We don't need to be hand-counting ballots," he said. "That would be the worst thing we could possibly do. Out of all the election law ideas, that's the absolute worst."

Both Republican and Democratic leaders at the capitol agree that Kentucky elections are safe and free of fraud.

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