Voter Registration

Closed Primaries

Kentucky has closed party primary elections, which means you must register as a Democrat or Republican to vote in that party's primary election. If you select "Other" as your party registration, you are eligible to vote in nonpartisan city and judicial primary elections ONLY. All eligible registered voters may vote for any candidate regardless of party registration in general or special elections. Only persons timely registered to vote shall have the right to vote.

Prohibited Practices in Registering Voters

It is a crime to:

• Give false information when registering to vote. KRS 119.025

• Fraudulently or unlawfully alter any registration record. KRS 119.035

• Suppress, mutilate or destroy any registration record. KRS 119.035

• Make or use false or fraudulent registration record. KRS 119.035

• Forcibly prevent another person from registering. KRS 119.045

• Interfere with any person registering, or with the duties of a registration officer. KRS 119.045

• Forge or fraudulently alter a completed registration form. KRS 119.047

• Destroy a completed registration form. KRS 119.047

• Fail to return a completed form to the county clerk. KRS 119.047

County Parties should only attempt to register eligible voters; however, County Parties are not the arbiters of who is eligible to vote. The County Party should not therefore refuse to register a person based on a belief that they are not eligible by reason of residency, citizenship, age, felony status or other reason. It should make clear the eligibility rules, but if someone returns a card filled out, County Parties should submit that card to the County Clerk or allow tat person to apply online.