A few changes in place before May primary election

Election is May 17

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Many changes were made to Kentucky’s voting procedures in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the 2022 elections will see some of those provisions rolled back and others added, just in time for the May 17 primary election.

Mail-in absentee ballots are now available, and must be requested online by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3. Unlike in 2020, when everyone was able to cast absentee ballots by mail, an excuse is now required. They include:

--Serving in the military away from your home county.

--A student temporarily residing outside their county of residence.

--A person in jail who has not yet been convicted of the crime with which they have been charged.

--Someone temporarily living outside Kentucky, but still eligible to vote here.

--An individual who will be absent from their county of residence on Election Day, and all days when in-person absentee voting takers place.

--A participant in the Secretary of State’s crime victim address confidentiality program.

--An eligible voter who cannot appear at the polls on Election Day and the days in-person absentee voting is conducted, due to age, disability, illness, or being in the third trimester of pregnancy.

During the periods May 4-6 and May 9-11, in-person absentee voting will be available at your local county clerk’s office. These days are reserved for eligible voters who have one of the seven excuses listed above. This voting is available only during the regular office hours. 

On May 12,13, and 14 - the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before the primary - in-person early voting will be available to all eligible registered voters. Legislation passed by the 2022 General Assembly (HB 564) ensured each of these days will be 8 hours, but doesn’t regulate when those 8 hours are. Since many county clerks don’t have regular Saturday hours, voters may want to contact their county clerk’s office to get the exact times. 

Locations for all in-person absentee and early voting may be different than on Election Day itself. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., local time, on Election Day, and voters will likely find that the number of polling places is less than in 2019.

Contact the county clerk’s office for precinct’s voting location.