Voting in Kentucky

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search

What's on your ballot?
Click here to find out using My Vote



Election Policy Logo.png
Election Information
Voting in 2023
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies.

The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in Kentucky:

See Election administration in Kentucky for additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

Voter registration

Eligibility and registration details

Check your voter registration status here.

In order to vote in Kentucky, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state for at least 28 days before Election Day. A voter must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.[1]

Registration must be completed 28 days prior to the election. Registration can be completed by submitting a form by mail or at one of the following locations:[1]

  • County clerk's offices
  • License branches
  • Social service agencies
  • Military recruitment offices
  • High schools (for students and staff)


In-person voting

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Kentucky, all polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central and Eastern Time. All those in line by 6:00 p.m. will be permitted to vote.[2]

Voter identification

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Kentucky requires voters to present identification while voting.[3][4]

Voters can present the following forms of identification:

  • Driver’s license
  • Social Security card
  • County issued identification card approved in writing by the State Board of Elections
  • U.S. government-issued identification card
  • Kentucky state government-issued identification card with a picture
  • Credit card
  • Any form of ID containing both picture and signature

If a precinct officer is a personal acquaintance of the voter, the voter does not have to produce identification.

Early voting

See also: Early voting

Kentucky permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Absentee/mail-in voting

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

A Kentucky voter is eligible to vote absentee in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:[5]

  • The voter is advanced in age, disabled, or ill
  • The voter is a member of the United States Military or is a dependent of a member of the military
  • The voter is an overseas citizen
  • The voter is a student who temporarily resides outside the county
  • The voter is temporarily residing outside of Kentucky and maintains eligibility to vote in Kentucky, such as a "snowbird"
  • The voter is incarcerated, but not yet convicted of a crime
  • The voter is unable to vote in-person because of his or her employment location

Absentee ballots can only be obtained by contacting the local county clerk’s office.


Local election officials

U.S. Vote Foundation Logo.jpeg

Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for convicted felons

Effective December 12, 2019, people convicted of a felony in Kentucky regained the right to vote upon completion of sentence, including prison time, parole, and probation. Rights are restored at that time regardless of whether the people convicted have paid all fines, restitution, or other money ordered by a court. People convicted of treason, election bribery, and certain violent felonies do not regain voting rights.[6]

Prior to December 12, 2019, people convicted of any felony, as well as some misdemeanors, lost their voting rights, according to Kentucky's constitution, Section 145. Voting rights could be restored to them only by reversible pardons offered by the state's governor.

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[7]


Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Kentucky can contact the following state and federal agencies.

Office of the Secretary of State, Office of Elections

700 Capital Ave., Ste. 148
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Telephone: 502-564-3490
Fax: 502-564-5687
http://www.sos.ky.gov/elections/

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Noteworthy events

2021

On April 7, 2021, Governor Andy Beshear (D) signed HB574 into law, making the following modifications to Kentucky's election laws:[8][9]

  • Providing for three days of in-person early voting on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday preceding Election Day.
  • Allowing for voters to correct (or "cure") defects on their absentee/mail-in ballots.
  • Authorizing counties to offer vote centers where residents from any precinct can cast their ballots.
  • Authorizing the use of secure drop boxes for returning absentee/mail-in ballots.

On February 26, 2021, the Kentucky House of Representatives approved HB574 by a vote of 93-4. On March 16, 2021, the Kentucky State Senate approved an amended version of the bill by a vote of 32-3. On March 29, 2021, the House voted 91-3 to approve the Senate's amendments.[8]

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

Election tracker site ad.png


State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.

Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:

  • Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
  • We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
  • And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan

The Ballot Bulletin

Ballot-Bulletin-Header-D2.jpg


The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

Subscribe

Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.



Ballotpedia's election coverage

Click the tiles below to navigate to 2023 election coverage, or use the map below:


Democratic primaries 2024
Republican primaries 2024

See also

Elections in Kentucky


External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kentucky Board of Elections, "Voter Information Guide," accessed April 26, 2023
  2. ↑ Kentucky Board of Elections, "Voter Information Guide," accessed April 26, 2023
  3. ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Election Day Information," accessed April 26, 2023
  4. ↑ FindLaw.com, "Kentucky Revised Statutes Title X. Elections § 117.227. Confirmation of voter's identity," accessed April 26, 2023
  5. ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Absentee Voting," accessed October 24, 2019
  6. ↑ Kentucky Governor, "Related to the Restoration of Civil Rights for Convicted Felons," December 12, 2019
  7. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Kentucky General Assembly, "House Bill 574," accessed April 9, 2021
  9. ↑ Louisville Courier Journal, "Kentucky lawmakers pass key election reforms, including early voting," March 30, 2021
v • e
Election information
Resources
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Elections
by state
2024 elections
2023 elections
2022 elections
2021 elections
2020 elections
2019 elections
2018 elections
How to vote
in each state
Flag of Kentucky
v • e
State of Kentucky
Frankfort (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voting_in_Kentucky&oldid=9300996"