By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the November General Election is just around the corner on October 20.
“Absentee ballots give voters who may be sick, out of town during in-person voting, or folks with special circumstances a chance to vote and make their voice heard,” said Fayette County Clerk Susan Lamb. “Make sure to request your ballot no later than October 20 by 11:59 p.m. to receive your absentee ballot.”
To make an absentee request, go to GoVote.Ky.Gov. You must meet one of the eligibility requirements to vote absentee. Those include:
• Voters covered under the Kentucky Uniform Military and Overseas Act, KRS 117A.010.
• Students who temporarily live outside the county of their residence.
• Incarcerated individuals who have not been convicted of the crime they are charged with.
• Voters temporarily living outside of Kentucky who are still eligible to vote in Kentucky.
• Voters who will be absent on Election Day and during all in-person absentee or no-excuse early voting days.
• Participants in the Secretary of State’s crime victim address confidentiality program.
• Voters who are not able to appear at the polls on Election Day or on the days in-person voting is conducted, on account of age, disability or illness and have not been declared mentally disabled by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Completed absentee ballots must be returned your local county clerk’s office no later than 6 p.m. on November 3, which is Election Day. Voters can either drop their ballots off at the ballot drop boxes provided by your county clerk or send in the completed ballot by mail.
Contact your local county clerk for more information.
November 3 is the mid-term election, where voters will have plenty of races to decide. Among them, the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Mitch McConnell of Louisville, who is not seeking re-election.
In addition to the U.S. Senate race, Kentucky’s six Congressional seats, all 100 in the Kentucky House and the even-numbered state Senate districts, will also appear on the ballot, along with district judge races. There will also be many local city and county races up for grabs.