Kentucky elections, 2023

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

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.

In order to vote in Kentucky, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state for at least 28 days before Election Day. A voter must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.^[5]

Registration must be completed 28 days prior to the election. Registration can be completed by submitting a form by mail or at one of the following locations:^[5]

• County clerk's offices
• License branches
• Social service agencies
• Military recruitment offices
• High schools (for students and staff)

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 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:^[6]

• 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.^[7]

State law allows for the portal to be open between 45 and 14 days immediately preceding a primary or general election.^[7]

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 editor@ballotpedia.org.

Local election officials

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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.

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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

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