ABSENTEE VOTING INFORMATION

Voters who are eligible to request a mail-in absentee ballot must be:

  1. A resident of Kentucky who is a covered voter as defined in KRS 117A.010 (A KRS 117A.010 voter is a uniformed-service voter or an overseas voter who is registered to vote in the Commonwealth of Kentucky).
  2. A student who temporarily resides outside the county of his or her residence.
  3. Incarcerated in jail and charged with a crime but has not been convicted of the crime.
  4. Changing or has changed his or her place of residence to a different state while the registration books are closed in the new state of residence before an election of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, in which case the voter shall be permitted to cast a mail-in absentee ballot for electors for President and Vice President of the United States only.
  5. Temporarily residing outside the state but still eligible to vote in this state.
  6. Prevented from voting in person at the polls on election day and from casting an excused or no-excuse in-person absentee ballot on all days in-person absentee voting is conducted 13 because he or she will be absent from the county of his or her residence all hours and all days excused, or no-excuse in-person absentee voting is conducted.
  7. A participant in the Secretary of State's crime victim address confidentiality protection program as authorized by KRS 14.312.
  8. Not able to appear at the polls on Election Day or the days excused, or no-excuse in person absentee voting is conducted on the account of age, disability, or illness, and who has not been declared mentally disabled by a court of competent jurisdiction.

6-Day Excused In-Person Absentee Voting

(Commonly Referred to as “Absentee Voting”)

*IMPORTANT: VOTER MUST HAVE A SPECIFIC EXCUSE TO VOTE DURING THIS TIME* KRS 117.076(2) –

Any voter who is qualified to vote on Election Day in the county of his or her residence may make application to cast an excused in-person absentee ballot during normal business hours during the six (6) business days immediately preceding the Thursday of no-excuse in-person absentee voting. The voter who makes application under this subsection shall meet one (1) of the following requirements in order to cast his or her excused in-person absentee ballot.

  1. Is a resident of Kentucky who is a covered voter as defined in KRS 117A.010 (Military or Overseas Voter), who will be absent from the county of his or her residence on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
  2. Has surgery, or whose spouse has surgery, scheduled that will require hospitalization on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
  3. Temporarily resides outside the state but is still eligible to vote in this state and will be absent from the county of his or her residence on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
  4. Is a resident of Kentucky who is a uniformed-service voter as defined in KRS 117A.010 confined to a military base on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
  5. Is in her last trimester of pregnancy. (HB 580 Change- Law 4/19/2024)
  6. Has not been declared mentally disabled by a court of competent jurisdiction and, due to age, disability, or illness, is not able to appear at the polls on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
  7. Is a caregiver who is providing medical or healthcare assistance to a voter who is qualified to cast a ballot under paragraph (6) of this subsection. (HB 684 2025 General Assembly)
  8. Is a student who temporarily resides outside the county of his or her residence and will be absent from the county of his or her residence on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
  9. Any person employed in an occupation that is scheduled to work during all days and all hours, which shall include commute time, the polls are open on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
  10. Any election officer tasked with election administration for the current election cycle.
  11. Any person prevented from voting in person at the polls on election day and from casting a no-excuse in-person absentee ballot on all days no-excuse in-person absentee voting is conducted because he or she will be absent from the county of his or her residence during all days and all hours no-excuse in-person absentee voting is conducted. (HB 580 Change Law 4/19/2024)
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