How to vote in Kentucky
Kentucky voter registration guide
Kentucky voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 29 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Received 29 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 29 days before Election Day
Check your Kentucky voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Kentucky registration using the Kentucky voter registration lookup tool.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
Kentucky voter registration rules
To register in Kentucky you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be a resident of Kentucky for at least 28 days before Election Day
- be 18 years old by Election Day (if you are 17, you may vote in a primary if you will turn 18 by the General Election)
- not have been judged mentally incompetent in a court of law
- not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Kentucky.
Kentucky online voter registration
- You can register to vote online if you have your Social Security Number.
- Visit the Kentucky online voter registration tool.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 29 days before Election Day.
Kentucky by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Your full social security number is required. It is used for administrative purposes only and is not released to the public. No person shall be denied the right to register because of failure to include social security number.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You must register with a party if you want to take part in that party’s primary election, caucus, or convention.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be received 29 days before Election Day
Kentucky in-person voter registration
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- N/A
Kentucky same day registration
Kentucky does not have same day registration.
Registering to vote in Kentucky with a felony conviction
If you have been convicted of a felony and would like to register to vote, please visit Restore Your Vote. They will help you determine your eligibility and guide you through the process.
Kentucky absentee and mail ballot guide
Kentucky absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
Kentucky absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): 14 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (by mail): N/a
- Request deadline (in person): 14 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Received by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day
Kentucky absentee ballot rules
You can vote by mail in Kentucky if:
- you are advanced in age, disabled, or ill
- you are a military personnel or their dependent, or an overseas citizen
- you are a student who temporarily resides outside the county
- you are a voter who temporarily resides outside of Kentucky and who maintains eligibility to vote in Kentucky, such as a “snowbird”
- you are incarcerated, but not yet convicted of a crime
- you are employed outside of the county all hours the polling place is open.
You can vote in person at your County Clerk's office before Election Day if:
- you will be out of the county on election day
- you are advanced in age, disabled, or ill
- you are a military personnel, their dependent, or an overseas citizen
- you are a military personnel confined to base and learn of your confinement within seven days or less of an election
- you are a student or resident who temporarily resides outside of the county
- you are a voter or the spouse of a voter who has surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on Election Day
- you are a pregnant woman in third trimester
- you are a precinct election officer appointed to serve in precinct other than his own, an alternate precinct election officer, County Board of Elections members or staff, Deputy county clerk, or State Board of Elections staff
Kentucky online ballot request (recommended)
- Visit the Kentucky absentee ballot website.
- Fill out all of the required information.
- Hit save or submit when you are done.
- The deadline to apply online is: 14 days before Election Day.
Kentucky by-mail ballot request
Kentucky does not publish an absentee ballot application that you can print out and mail. We recommend you use the Kentucky absentee ballot website to request your ballot online.
You can also contact your local election office for help requesting an absentee ballot.
Kentucky in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is: 14 days before Election Day.
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided dropbox. Please check with your local election office if your county has a dropbox. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official dropbox.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Kentucky absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot: You must include a photocopy of a government issued ID, such as a Kentucky driver's license. If you don't have a government issued ID, you can indicate this and provide a photocopy of a document that shows your name and address, such as a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or any government document that shows your name and home address.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot: Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
Kentucky early voting guide
Kentucky early voting dates
- Early voting starts: 5 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day
What to bring
You must show a photo ID issued by the State of Kentucky or the Federal Government, a tribal ID, or a student ID issued by an accredited college or university. If you don't have a valid photo ID, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
Kentucky voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
You must show a photo ID issued by the State of Kentucky or the Federal Government, a tribal ID, or a student ID issued by an accredited college or university. If you don't have a valid photo ID, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
You must include a photocopy of a government issued ID, such as a Kentucky driver's license. If you don't have a government issued ID, you can indicate this and provide a photocopy of a document that shows your name and address, such as a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or any government document that shows your name and home address.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
ID requirements to register to vote online
You can register to vote online if you have your Social Security Number.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Kentucky elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
State Board of Elections 140 Walnut Street Frankfort, KY 40601‐3240
External resources
- Kentucky online voter registration
- Kentucky online absentee ballot request
- Kentucky voter status lookup
- Kentucky absentee ballot tracker
- Kentucky provisional ballot tracker
- Kentucky polling place locator