Kentucky

2024 Voting Information and Resources for Disabled Voters

Email organizing@newdisabledsouth.org to request this page in document format.

Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)

ASL Hotline: 301-818-VOTE (301-818-8683)

The deadline to register to vote in the 2024 General Election has passed.

Early voting for everyone starts on Thursday, October 31st and ends on Saturday, November 2nd.

Some voters, such as those with disabilities and those who will be away from home also have the option to vote in person from Wednesday, October 23rd to Friday, October 25th and from Monday, October 28th to Wednesday, October 30th.
Find your polling location for early in person voting

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 5. You can vote from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm at your assigned polling location.
Make your plan to vote now:

Find your polling place
You must have an accepted photo ID to vote (if you do not have an accepted photo ID, the State of Kentucky offers a free Voter Identification Card). Have questions about ID or need help getting an ID? Call or text VoteRiders at 866-432-8683
Decide how you’re going to get to and from your polling place. Arrange your transportation ahead of time, don’t wait until the day you want to go vote!
Get your friends, family or neighbors to go vote with you.
Find out what will be on your ballot

by calling your state Board of Elections or by visiting https://web.sos.ky.gov/electionballots/
There may be ballot measures, local offices, state offices and federal offices on your ballot.
A ballot measure is a law, issue, or question that you can vote on. They can include important questions about supporting your community & keeping it safe.
State level politicians shape policies & make decisions about programs like Medicaid, waivers, healthcare, affordable housing, schools & more!
Local politicians decide things like where or how much public transportation there is, access to voting and how smooth or clean our streets are.
Research the candidates and issues before you vote:
Read some voting guides

TARC: Public transit and paratransit will offer free rides to the polls on election day.
TANK buses are offering FREE rides to early voters on November 2nd, 3rd and 4th.
Louisville Urban League is offering FREE rides to the polls: call (502) 585-4622

If you have a disability or will be away from home on Election Day, you can vote by mail in Kentucky.
Request your vote by mail ballot:

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Tuesday, October 22 by 11:59 PM.
Kentucky allows voters who cannot fill out a paper ballot to request an electronic absentee ballot. Contact your local elections office to request an electronic absentee ballot or with any questions about a paper absentee/vote by mail ballot

You are allowed to have someone help you fill out your ballot. The person who helps you must sign the assistance form on the inner envelope of the absentee packet.
You must sign your ballot envelope when asked. Kentucky requires the signature to match the signature on your voter registration form. If you cannot sign your ballot envelope, you can fill out the voter assistance form, make a personal mark, and have two witnesses sign your ballot envelope.

Tuesday, November 5 by 6:00 PM: The final deadline for your absentee ballot to be received.
You can return your ballot by mail to the local election office or deliver it to a ballot dropbox.
A family member, household member or direct support professional (DSP) can mail your ballot for you if needed.
Once you have mailed or dropped off your ballot you can track it online.

You can vote by absentee ballot if you have a disability or will be away from home on Election Day. Absentee voting is also called vote by mail. If a polling place is not accessible to people with disabilities, this is another way for you to vote.
If you need help voting in person, you are allowed to have someone help you. You and your helper must sign a form which says that you need help and your helper will assist you with voting.

You can choose someone you know to help you vote or ask for help from a poll worker at the polling location. This helper cannot be your boss or union representative.

If you aren’t able to stand in a line at your polling place you can ask to be moved to the front of the line or request a chair.
Every polling place is required to have at least one accessible voting machine (sometimes called a ballot marking device). Every voter is allowed to use this machine. The poll workers can teach you how to use it.

You can use a touch screen or tactile keypad to click through each question and mark your choices. Some accessible machines also allow you to plug in a sip-and-puff device.
You can make the font bigger and change the colors to make the ballot easier to read.
The voting machine also has headphones. The machine can read your ballot out loud to you, so you can listen to the questions.
You can go back through your ballot choices and make sure you selected the right ones before printing your ballot and casting your vote.

What if I have questions about voting, need assistance or want to report any barriers I faced with voting? Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
Can I vote if I have a disability? Yes! People with disabilities who are 18 or older have the right to vote. Your vote matters and is protected by law to make sure that you can vote independently, accessibly and privately.
Can I vote if I have a guardian? In Kentucky, just having a guardian does not automatically take away your right to vote. However, sometimes a court may decide that you cannot vote. If you are not sure, you can check your guardianship order. If your guardianship order does not say anything about voting, this means you can still vote! Your right has only been taken away if your order directly says that.
How do I know if I can vote? Ask your guardian. If they won’t tell you, call the Kentucky Protection and Advocacy office Toll Free at 1-800-372-2988