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Absentee ballots still available for January

May 02, 2006

FRANKFORT - Voters across Kentucky have begun casting ballots in what is an historic primary election with more races on the ballot than at any time in Kentucky's history. While not all Kentuckians can head to the polls before Election Day, Kentucky law does provide opportunities for some voters to cast absentee ballots before the May 16 election.

"Kentucky law provides Kentucky voters with ample opportunities to cast a ballot," said Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, the chief election officer of the Commonwealth. "I hope that all citizens will plan for Election Day accordingly, and if they need to cast an absentee ballot, will take the appropriate steps to do so."

Most county clerks' offices across the Commonwealth have already begun in-house absentee voting, where voters actually vote on voting machines similar to those used on Election Day. All county clerks' offices must allow in-house absentee voting at least 12 working days before Election Day. The actual start date for this voting may vary depending on whether the office opens on Saturdays. Voters will have until May 15 to cast an in-house absentee ballot.

Voters might also be eligible to apply for a mail-in absentee ballot. Those applications are available from voters' respective county clerks' offices and must be received in those offices by May 9. After receiving an approved application, county clerks will mail a ballot to the respective voters, and voters will have until 6 p.m. on Election Day to return their ballots to the county clerk.

There are a variety of reasons why a voter might request to cast an absentee ballot, including:

* Advanced age, disability or illness

* Military personnel, their dependents, and overseas citizens

* Students who temporarily reside outside the county

* Other voters who temporarily reside outside of Kentucky, such as a vacationer

* Voters incarcerated but not yet convicted

* Voters' employment takes them out of the county all hours the polling place is open

* Voters who will be out of the county on Election Day

* Military personnel confined to base who learn of it within seven days or less of an election

* Voters who have surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on election day, and the voter's spouse

* Pregnant women in third trimester

* Election officials

* Voters are restricted as to whether they can use in-house absentee voting or mail-in ballots according to their reason for casting an absentee ballot.

* To learn more information about absentee voting or to use the Voter Information Center, a service that will confirm voter registration and provide pertinent election information to registered voters, please visit: www.elect.ky.gov.

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