PERSON: Alison Lundergan Grimes

Secretary of State of Kentucky

Growing up in Central Kentucky, she learned the value of public service at an early age by volunteering with her family every year to distribute Thanksgiving dinners to the homeless. As a young adult, she continued to believe in the power to make a difference in the lives of others, working with the National Kidney Foundation. While working in the private sector, she provided free legal help to victims of domestic violence. Alison’s passion has always been increasing opportunity for every citizen of the Commonwealth.<br> <br> As a successful business attorney in Lexington, Alison helped businesses open, expand and thrive in Kentucky, allowing them to create jobs and foster economic growth. She also worked with Kentucky institutions such as the Salvation Army, Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital and God’s Pantry Food Bank, where she serves on the Board of Directors.<br> <br> As Kentucky’s Secretary of State, Alison has helped modernize and streamline government services to make sure Kentucky’s doors truly are open for small businesses. She works with industry leaders to promote Kentucky and embraces bipartisan cooperation to help expand our economy and create jobs. Her efforts, including establishing a one-stop business portal and a uniform business identification number, are helping businesses spend less time interacting with government and more time creating jobs and giving back to their communities.<br> <br> Alison has also ushered in new laws that protect the voting rights of victims of domestic violence and absentee voters, maintain the integrity of the democratic process and save counties money in administering elections.<br> <br> In September 2012, Alison traveled to the Middle East to meet with deployed soldiers to learn how to improve military voting procedures. Her recommendations received overwhelming bipartisan support and were signed into law in April 2013. The new law, Kentucky Heroes Voting Initiative, the first of its kind in the state, will allow military members and their families to register to vote and update their registration online, ensure that military voters have sufficient time to vote in special elections and extend existing protections to state and local elections and National Guard members.<br> <br> Alison is a native of Maysville, Kentucky. She received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where she served as a trustee to the Board of Directors. Alison obtained her law degree, graduating with honors, from American University, Washington College of Law, in Washington, DC.<br> <br> Alison lives with her husband, Andrew, in Lexington.<br> <br> — AlisonForKentucky.com