View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.
Get StartedYou can register to vote in Kentucky by using one of the following methods:
You can also register to vote on BallotReady.org.
The process of changing your voter registration is similar to registering to vote for the first time. You can update your voter registration online, by mail, or in-person. You can also use BallotReady.org to check your voter registration status.
Remember that the deadline to change your voter registration is 28 days before the election.
The identification that you need to register to vote in Kentucky varies based on the method of registration:
Be prepared to provide your Social Security Number on the application.
Your full social security number is required. It is used for administrative purposes only and is not released to the public (KRS 116.155). No person shall be denied the right to register because of failure to include social security number.
You will need to provide your social security number.
If you’re under the age of 18, you may still be eligible to register to vote! If you can pre-register, you’ll need the following documents:
Be prepared to provide your Social Security Number on the application.
Your full social security number is required. It is used for administrative purposes only and is not released to the public (KRS 116.155). No person shall be denied the right to register because of failure to include social security number.
You will need to provide your social security number.
For more information on voting requirements for your state, make a plan to vote on BallotReady.org.
Residents of Kentucky can check their voter registration status through the following methods:
You can also check your voter registration on BallotReady.org.
In Kentucky, you need to be registered to vote at least 28 days before an election to be eligible to cast a ballot.
For the upcoming {{ next_election_name }}, your voter registration application must be:
No, Kentucky does not have same-day voter registration. This means you cannot register to vote on Election Day. You must register at least 28 days before an election in order to vote.
No, in Kentucky, you cannot register to vote during early voting. To cast your vote in an election, make sure you’re registered at least 28 days in advance.
Kentucky residents that fit the following criteria are eligible to register to vote:
In Kentucky, you can register to vote, even if you’re under the age of 18! Future voters who are 17 may pre-register to vote. They will be eligible to vote for the first election after they turn 18.
Kentucky gives voters the option to choose a political party when registering to vote. It is not required to register, but choosing “Other” could limit your ability to participate in presidential primary elections and caucuses. Regardless of whether you are registered as a member of a party or as an independent voter, you are still qualified to vote in nonpartisan primary elections.
Note: In-person early voting is sometimes referred to as 'in-person absentee', 'over-the-counter voting', 'assisted voting', or other similar titles. These are all essentially the same processes and will be discussed as one in this section.
For the upcoming {{ next_election_name }}, any registered voter may vote early in person.
In-person early voting may happen in a variety of locations like county election offices, city halls or municipal buildings, public libraries, schools, and community centers. It’s important to note that the availability of early voting can vary significantly by state or even county. They may also change from election to election, so be sure to check your early voting location before you head to the polls.
You can use BallotReady.org to make a plan to vote early and find a specific in-person early voting location, based on your address.
You may also be able to find information on in-person early voting on Kentucky’s Board of Elections website.
For the {{ next_election_name }}, the dates for in-person early voting are as follows:
Generally, in-person early voting in person begins 5 days before Election Day and ends 3 days before Election Day. However, it’s worth checking the specific early voting dates for upcoming elections, as these dates can change or differ for local elections.
According to the Kentucky State Board of Elections website, you must present proof of identification at a polling place on Election Day to comply with Kentucky’s voter ID laws.
"Proof of identification" means a document that was issued by:
(a) The United States or the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the document contains:
1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;
2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued;
(b) The United States Department of Defense, a branch of the uniformed services, the Merchant Marine, or the Kentucky National Guard, and the document contains:
1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;
2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued;
(c) A public or private college, university, or postgraduate technical or professional school located within the United States, and the document contains:
1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;
2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued; or,
(d) Any city government, county government, urban-county government, charter county government, consolidated local government, or unified local government, which is located within this state, and the document contains:
1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;
2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued.
It’s extremely important to have the appropriate ID when you go to your polling place to vote. However, if you’re not able to present one of the required forms of identification, ask a poll worker about what options you have to vote via provisional ballot.
A provisional ballot gives you the opportunity to vote when your voter registration is not able to be verified. After Election Day, election officials will attempt to verify that you voted in the correct district. This option is only recommended in exceptional circumstances – for example, you forgot your voter ID and you won’t be able to make it back to your polling place before it closes.
Election Day voting hours are 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at all polling places statewide in Kentucky.
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 states that election officials conducting federal elections must ensure that each polling place has at least one accessible voting system for individuals with disabilities. This system should provide the same level of privacy and independence as those available to other voters.
Plan ahead by getting in touch with an election authority at the state, county, or municipal level to learn more about what specific accommodations are available at your polling place.
For voters in Kentucky, you can find more information on this page from the Kentucky State Board of Elections.
According to the Kentucky Secretary of State, you may vote by absentee ballot by mail in Kentucky if you are:
If you change your mind about voting by mail, contact your local election authority for further instructions.
Kentucky requires voters to pay for their own postage when mailing back their ballot.
You can track your ballot by visiting Kentucky’s ballot tracker on this site.
If you make a plan to vote on BallotReady.org, you’ll receive information regarding:
In some states, absentee voting information can be different based on where you’re located. In our Civic Center, you’ll learn more about how to vote absentee based on your address.
Voter Registration | Kentucky State Board of Elections. Accessed July 15, 2024.
Election Law Updates | Kentucky Secretary of State. Accessed July 15, 2024.
Election Day Information | Kentucky State Board of Elections. Accessed July 29, 2024.
MIT Election Data + Science Lab. Accessed August 1, 2024.
ID Requirements | Kentucky State Board of Elections. Accessed August 6, 2024.
Voters with Disabilities | Kentucky State Board of Elections. Accessed August 6, 2024.
Democracy Maps. Accessed August 8, 2024.
Kentucky Voter Information Center. Accessed August 8, 2024.
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View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.