Kentucky elections, 2023
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Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Our goal is to inform people about politics by providing accurate and objective information about politics at all levels of government. We are firmly committed to neutrality in our content.
This page provides information on the 2023 elections in Kentucky, including the offices on the ballot covered by Ballotpedia, election dates, and frequently asked questions.
Election dates
Statewide election dates in Kentucky are listed below. For more dates, please see the elections calendar.
Statewide election dates
May 16, 2023: Primary
November 7, 2023: General election
Offices on the ballot
| Kentucky elections, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Elections? | More information |
| U.S. Senate | — | — |
| U.S. House | — | — |
| Congress special election | — | — |
| Governor | ✓ | Click here |
| Other state executive | ✓ | Click here |
| State Senate | — | — |
| State House | — | — |
| Special state legislative | ✓ | Click here |
| State Supreme Court | — | — |
| Intermediate appellate courts | — | — |
| School boards | ✓ | Click here |
| Municipal government | ✓ | Click here |
| Recalls | — | — |
| Ballot measures | — | — |
| Local ballot measures | — | — |
Legend: ✓ election(s) / — no elections
Subject to Ballotpedia's scope
Noteworthy elections
Below is a list of races in this state that received in-depth coverage on Ballotpedia. Click the link below to learn about that race.
- Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2023
- Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2023 (May 16 Republican primary)
Frequently asked questions
When are the polls open?
6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.[1]
See State Poll Opening and Closing Times (2023) for more information
Where can I find election results?
Election results are posted on Ballotpedia's election overview pages, as well as the relevant candidate pages. You can find links to the current election overview pages in the "Offices on the ballot" section of this page.
How do primaries work in Kentucky?
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kentucky utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[2][3][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
How do I register to vote?
- Check your voter registration status here.
According to the Kentucky State Board of Elections, in order to register to vote, a person must:[5]
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The deadline to submit a voter registration application is 29 days before an election, unless that day is a state or federal holiday.[7] If mailed, applications must be postmarked by that deadline.[8]
Voter registration applications may be completed online, mailed to the county clerk's office, or submitted in person at the county clerk's office.[5]
Is there an early voting period?
- See also: Early voting
Kentucky permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to Kentucky's 2024 election cycle.
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:[9]
- 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
- The voter is a participant in the Secretary of State's crime victim address confidentiality protection program
- The voter is subject to a medical emergency within fourteen days or less of an election
- The voter has change their residence or registered in a new state after the date on which that state closes their registration before a presidential election, than the voter may cast an absentee ballot by mail in Kentucky
Absentee ballots can only be requested through an online portal established by the State Board of Elections. Disabled, military and overseas, and voters subject to medical emergencies may also request an absentee ballot through their county clerk. Eligible voters who do not have internet access may give their information to a county clerk by phone to request an absentee ballot.[10]
State law allows for the portal to be open between 45 and 14 days immediately preceding a primary or general election.[10]
What are the voter ID laws in Kentucky?
See Voter identification laws by state.
How do I file to run for office?
See Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Kentucky for information on how to run for state or federal office.
What does Ballotpedia cover?
Ballotpedia's coverage extends to all elections on the federal level, all gubernatorial, state legislative, statewide ballot measure, and statewide judicial elections, as well as many other types of state executive offices. Ballotpedia also covers all elections in the U.S. territories, but not elections in other countries.
Local election coverage includes comprehensive ballot coverage for municipal and judicial elections in the top 100 cities by population and races for the large counties that overlap them. In the state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities, it includes coverage of mayoral, city council, and district attorney elections. It also includes school board elections in the top 200 largest school districts by enrollment, all California local ballot measures, and notable local ballot measures from across the nation.
Please note that Ballotpedia's election coverage does not encompass all local offices. Election information is not published in a timely manner for many local offices, which makes it infeasible to gather the necessary data given our limited resources. However, Ballotpedia's coverage scope for local elections continues to grow, and you can use Ballotpedia's sample ballot tool to see what local elections we are covering in your area.
How do I contact Ballotpedia with a question?
Email us at [email protected].
Local election officials
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. |
Redistricting following the 2020 census
This section lists major events in the post-2020 census redistricting cycle in reverse chronological order. Major events include the release of apportionment data, the release of census population data, the introduction of formal map proposals, the enactment of new maps, and noteworthy court challenges. Click the dates below for additional information.
- Jan. 21, 2022: Gov. Andy Beshear (D) allowed Kentucky's state Senate district maps to become law without his signature.
- Jan. 20, 2022: The Kentucky General Assembly overrode Gov. Andy Beshear's (D) veto of congressional and state House district maps.
- Jan. 19, 2022: Gov. Andy Beshear (D) vetoed Kentucky's congressional and state House district maps.
- Jan. 8, 2022: The Kentucky State Senate and House voted in favor of new congressional, state legislative, and supreme court district maps, sending them to Gov. Andy Beshear (D).
- Sept. 16, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2020 census in an easier-to-use format to state redistricting authorities and the public.
- Aug. 12, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau delivered redistricting data to states in a legacy format.
- April 26, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau delivered apportionment counts.
Footnotes
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Election Day Information", accessed December 2, 2022
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," February 06, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections,"Key Information," accessed July 26, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Registration," accessed July 26, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "116.045 Voter registration, transfer, or change of party affiliation -- Availability of forms," accessed July 24, 2024
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "116.0452 Standards for timely receipt of voter registration application -- Removal of names from registration books -- Confidentiality of registration location," accessed July 24, 2024
- ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 117, "117.076 No-excuse in-person absentee ballot -- Excused in-person absentee ballot -- Proof of identification -- In-person absentee voting procedure -- Voter assistance form -- Oath of voter affidavit -- Signature roster -- Members of county board may serve as precinct officers -- Challengers -- Locking of voting equipment -- Transmitting or publicizing count -- Tamper-resistant seal -- Administrative regulations.," accessed July 25, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 117, "117.085 Mail-in absentee ballots -- Application through online portal and other means -- Procedures -- Cancellation -- Administrative regulations -- Disclosure of information." accessed July 25, 2024
