Kentucky’s May 19 primary is a few weeks away, but for some, voting is already underway.
Eligible voters can cast mail-in absentee ballots anytime between now Election Day. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes says absentee voters must have an excuse to vote early.
"We have absentee voting available for individuals who are going to be out of the county on election day because of work, military and overseas voters, individuals who need to vote because of age, disability, or illness," Grimes tells WKU Public Radio.
A complete list of eligible absentee voters is available at elect.ky.gov.
Voters can request an absentee ballot application from their county clerk in person or by phone, fax, or email. Applications must be received by May 12 and the completed absentee ballot must be received by the county clerk's office by 6:00 p.m. local time on election day.
Under a new law, the identities of absentee voters will not be disclosed until after the election. In the past, absentee ballot application were subject to open records requests, making those voters susceptible to attempts to purchase their votes.
