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Here's Your 2023 Kentucky Public Radio Voter Guide

Closeup picture of ballot on top of manila colored envelope, shadow crossing the paper.
Justin Hicks
/
LPM
Kentuckians will weigh in on statewide contests for offices like governor, attorney general and secretary of state in 2023.

Reporters from across Kentucky Public Radio's network profiled each of this year's races so readers and listeners across the commonwealth are fully informed when they go to ballot box on Nov. 7.

Where will you vote?


PS. We don't track or store your address. This tool is for you -- and you alone.

Polling locations change sometimes! So before you head out to vote, double-check where you're supposed to cast a ballot with this handy tool. Simply type in the home address where you're registered to vote and we'll tell you where to go.

Wait, didn't we just vote last year?

Yes! And it's time to do it again. Kentucky is one of only a handful of states that holds statewide elections in odd-numbered years. This year Kentucky voters cast ballots for statewide constitutional offices: Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Agriculture Commissioner and Treasurer.

Kentucky’s is one of only three gubernatorial races in the country in 2023, and predicted to be the most competitive. The marquee race will determine whether Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear gets a second term or if Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron gets a promotion to the state’s top office.

Turnout is generally low in these odd-year elections than in even-numbered years when races for president and congress energize voters across the country.

Only 14.5% of registered voters cast a ballot during Kentucky’s primary elections earlier this year. Turnout was 44.2% during the 2019 general election, 30.6% in 2015 and 28.6% in 2013.

This will be the first gubernatorial election held since the number of registered Republicans surpassed Democratic registrations in 2022. Independents and those registered with third-party political affiliations are the fastest growing part of the state’s electorate, now making up 10% of the state’s registered voters.

Voters who are eligible to cast an absentee ballot can use the secretary of state's online portal to request a ballot that can be mailed in or dropped off at a county drop box location. Requests must be made by Oct. 24.

Voters can also vote early without an excuse the weekend before Election Day, Nov. 2-4.

Sylvia is the Capitol reporter for Kentucky Public Radio, a collaboration including Louisville Public Media, WEKU-Lexington, WKU Public Radio and WKMS-Murray. Email her at sgoodman@lpm.org.
Morgan is LPM's health & environment reporter. Email Morgan at mwatkins@lpm.org.
Justin is LPM's Data Reporter. Email Justin at jhicks@lpm.org.