Kentuckians will have a long list of political races to consider during this year’s General Election on Nov. 8.
Ballots include contests for U.S. Senate, all six of the state’s seats in Congress, all 100 seats in the state House of Representatives, half of the 38 seats in the state Senate and four of the seven seats on the state Supreme Court.
Voters will also weigh in on two proposals to amend the state constitution: one wouldundermine abortion rights in the state, the other would give the Legislature more power by allowing lawmakers to call themselves into special session.
Kentucky Public Radio has created a voter guide where you can get more information about candidates on your ballot. Type your address into the search bar, and you can learn about who’s running in your area and how much campaign cash they raised. We covered state and federal candidates in every Kentucky county.
Want to make sure you remember your picks when you head into the voting booth? You can use our guide to create a printable “cheat sheet” by checking off who you want to vote for.
You can find your full sample ballot on the Kentucky Secretary of State’s website, GoVoteKy.com. While you’re there, you can also double check your voting location and make sure you’re registered.
The Kentucky Public Radio voter guide includes financial disclosures available through the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance through Sept. 27, which includes the required 60-day pre-election filing for all candidates who submitted one. For U.S. Senate and Congressional races, financial data came from the Federal Elections Commission. The guide also covers judicial races within Jefferson County that have more than one candidate; it does not cover judicial races that are uncontested.
Other Voting Resources
All registered voters in the state can cast a ballot at their assigned polling place. Double check your polling place with your local county clerk or with the Kentucky Secretary of State.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time on Election Day. If you are in line by 6 p.m., state law says you must be allowed to vote.
Thanks to a new law, voters can also cast ballots early in-person, with no excuse, on Nov. 3-5. Early voting sites aren’t always the same as Election Day sites, so check with your county clerk or with the Kentucky Secretary of State.
Voters who have an excuse, like a medical condition, or temporarily live outside their home county, can request a mail-in absentee ballot on the secretary of state’s website. The deadline to apply for a mail-in absentee ballot is Oct. 25.
Kentucky voters with certain excuses can also vote in person early, usually at a county clerk's office, from Oct. 26-28 and Oct. 31-Nov. 2. Check with your local county clerk.