Monday is deadline to register to vote in Primary Election

Election is May 17

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 12, 2016) — Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the May 17 Primary Election, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, said today.

“Our democracy depends on all eligible voters participating in the process,” said Grimes. “Registering to vote is the first step in being part of the 2016 election cycle. I call on all Kentuckians to get registered and then vote on May 17.”

Kentuckians may now easily register and update their registration with GoVoteKY.com, the commonwealth’s new online registration portal. County clerks’ offices throughout Kentucky will accept online applications until 11:59 p.m., April 18, and paper voter registration applications until the close of business on that date. Mail-in voter registration applications must be postmarked by April 18.

To be eligible to vote, Kentuckians must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be a Kentucky resident for at least 28 days before Election Day.
• Be at least 18 years old by the date of the next general election.
• Not be a convicted felon, or if convicted of a felony offense, must have obtained a restoration of civil rights.
• Not have been adjudged “mentally incompetent.”
• Not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Kentucky.
• Minors who are 17 years old but will be 18 years old on or before the Nov. 8, 2016 General Election are eligible to register and vote in the upcoming Primary.

Voters who have recently moved need to update their voter registration information by no later than April 18. Pursuant to Kentucky law, voters who move from one county to another county while the voter registration books are open and fail to update their registration information before the voter registration books close are not permitted to vote in the Primary.

Changes in party affiliation for the 2016 Primary Election were due by Dec. 31, 2015. Voters who changed their party affiliation after that date are not eligible to vote in partisan races in the Primary, although they may vote on nonpartisan races on the ballot. Voters who changed their party affiliation after Dec. 31, 2015, may still vote for their candidate(s) of choice in the November General Election.

Voters may check their current registration status and where they vote with the Voter Information Center found at elect.ky.gov. For questions, contact your county clerk or the State Board of Elections at (502) 573-7100.