Who Can Register and Vote?
In Kentucky, you can register to vote at 17 years old, but you have to be 18 actually to vote in the General Election. That means if your birthday is in October or early November, you should register! In 2024, you can vote in the Spring Primary if you’ll be 18 by the November 2024 Presidential Election.
How Can I Register?
You can register for the first time, check your registration, update your registration, or request an absentee ballot online at GoVote.KY.Gov
It is a quick, easy process and all you need is your social security number, which can be requested in the main office. The rest of the required information, such as your date of birth, is typically common sense.
There will be a voter registration drive Wednesday Oct. 4 and Thursday Oct. 5 in PowerHour.
Voter registration in Kentucky closes Monday, Oct. 10 at 4:00 pm local time. If this is your first election and you don’t register to vote by this time, you cannot vote in the 2023 General Election.
What is the General Election?
The Nov. 7 General Election will elect Constitutional Officers. These positions include the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner of Agriculture, Secretary of State, and Attorney General.
These officials will make decisions that affect every Kentuckian.
“State level government has a far reaching impact on our daily life,” Young Democrats Sponsor April York said.
Does my Vote Even Matter?
Your vote does matter. The next election may be decided by a single vote, and you could be the one who tips the scale.
“There was a state house race in 2018 that was decided by 1 vote, and there are a lot of state house and magistrate races in the past few years that have come down to a handful of votes,” York said.
Statewide elections are much smaller than national elections. This means that your votes count as a greater percentage overall, increasing your level of influence.
If you are eligible to vote, don’t let this wonderful opportunity pass you by.
“Our democracy functions better the more citizen engagement we have in the process,” York said, “and one of the easiest ways to make your voice heard is to VOTE!”
