What you need to know:

• Kentucky voters can begin casting ballots well before Election Day through both excused absentee voting and no-excuse early voting ahead of the May 19, 2026 primary.
• Excused in-person absentee voting runs May 6–8 and May 11–13, and requires voters to meet specific legal reasons such as travel, illness, disability, or other qualifying conditions.
• No-excuse early voting, which allows any registered voter to cast a ballot in person without providing a reason, takes place May 14–16.
• The deadline to request a mail-in absentee ballot is May 5 at 11:59 p.m.
• Election Day voting is May 19, 2026, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and anyone in line by closing time will still be allowed to vote.
• All Kentucky voters are required to present a valid photo ID when voting in person or absentee.

Voting in Kentucky begins well before Election Day through absentee and early voting. In-person absentee voting for those with a valid excuse starts in early May, while no-excuse early voting takes place the week before the May 19 primary.

Here’s what you need to know about casting your ballot:

Ways to cast your ballot:

• Excused in-person absentee voting: May 6, 7, 8 and May 11, 12, 13, 2026
• No-excuse in-person absentee voting: May 14, 15, 16, 2026
• In-person voting on Election Day: May 19, 2026

Excused absentee voting

Elections in Kentucky were permanently changed in 2020, when the pandemic prompted expanded voting options beyond just Election Day, including early and absentee voting.

Two forms of voting still require a valid excuse under Kentucky law: excused in‑person absentee voting and mail‑in absentee voting.

To use either method, a voter must meet one of the qualifying reasons spelled out in state statute, such as being absent from the county on Election Day, having a medical or disability reason, being a student living temporarily outside the county, or other specific conditions.

The last day to request a mail-in absentee ballot is May 5 at 11:59 p.m.

Absentee and early voting locations vary by county, so you’ll need to look up where to cast your ballot or vote with an excuse in your area.

Voters can find their specific polling places and early/absentee voting locations on the official Kentucky State Board of Elections polling location tool or by contacting their county clerk’s office.

No-excuse absentee voting AKA early voting

“No‑excuse absentee voting” is the official term under Kentucky election law for what most people call early voting, a period in the days before Election Day when any registered voter in the county can cast a ballot in person without needing a reason.

During this period, voters do not need to provide an excuse or meet special criteria. It's like voting on Election Day.

Most counties have at least one designated early voting location, and many offer multiple sites as voters have increasingly taken advantage of expanded early voting in recent years.

Find your county's early voting locations here.

Primary Election Day

If you prefer to wait until Election Day to vote, your opportunity will be Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

On that day, polls across Kentucky will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, and anyone in line by 6 p.m. will still be allowed to vote.

Questions about polling locations should be directed to your county clerk. A list of places to vote is also available online.

Reminder: All voters in Kentucky must show a valid form of voter ID, whether voting early, absentee in person, or on Election Day. (More on acceptable IDs)