Absentee Ballot Eligibility

The online portal to request a paper absentee ballot is available beginning 45 days before the election and closes 14 days before Election Day. If you are unable to vote in person on Election Day and meet any of the eligibility requirements below, you are eligible to request a paper absentee ballot.

You may obtain a paper absentee ballot if you are unable to get to the polls on election day and you meet any one of the following requirements:

• due to advanced age, disability, illness or medical emergency
• you are a member of the Armed forces
• you are the dependent of a member of the Armed forces
• you are a U. S. citizen residing overseas
• you are a student attending school outside the county of your voter registration
• you temporarily reside outside the state but are still eligible to vote in Kentucky
• you are incarcerated in jail and have been charged but not convicted of a crime

These regulations are reviewed and set by the KY State Board of Elections and are subject to change. For current requirements, please visit the KY State Board of Elections website.

Voters otherwise eligible to vote on election day are eligible to vote an in-person absentee ballot during the six (6) business days immediately before the last Thursday occurring before election day if they meet one (1) of the following requirements:  

• ​Is a resident of Kentucky who is a covered voter as defined in KRS 117A.010, who will be absent from the county of his or her residence on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
• Has surgery, or whose spouse has surgery, scheduled that will require hospitalization on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in person absentee voting.
• Temporarily resides outside the state but is still eligible to vote in this state and will be absent from the county of his or her residence on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
• Is a resident of Kentucky who is a uniformed-service voter as defined in KRS 117A.010​ confined to a military base on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
• Is in her last trimester of pregnancy.
• Has not been declared mentally disabled by a court of competent jurisdiction and, due to age, disability, or illness, is not able to appear at the polls on electi​on day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
• Is a caregiver who is providing medical or healthcare assistance to a voter who has not been declared mentally disabled by a court of competent jurisdiction and, due to age, disability, or illness, is not able to appear at the polls on electi​on day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.​
• Is a student who temporarily resides outside the county of his or her residence and will be absent from the county of his or her residence on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
• Any person employed in an occupation that is scheduled to work during all days and all hours, which shall include commute time, the polls are open on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting.
• Any election officer tasked with election administration for the current election cycle.
• Any person prevented from voting in person at the polls on election day and from casting a no-excuse in-person absentee ballot on all days no-excuse in-person absentee voting is conducted because he or she will be absent from the county of his or her residence during all days and all hours no excuse in-person absentee voting is conducted.​

If a registered voter experiences a medical emergency within fourteen (14) days before an election, the voter or the voter’s spouse may apply for a medical emergency absentee ballot.

How the process works:

1. Request the application. The medical emergency absentee ballot application may be requested at the clerk’s office by the the voter or the voter’s spouse, parents, or children of the voter. If the voter has no spouse, parents, or children, the application form may be requested by and delivered by a sibling, niece, nephew, or designee of the voter.
2. Complete the application. The application must state that the medical emergency occurred within the 14-day period before the election.
3. Have the application notarized. The completed application must be notarized before it is submitted to the County Clerk.
4. Submit the application to the County Clerk. The County Clerk will review the application and verify the voter’s eligibility.
5. Receive and vote the absentee ballot. Once the application is verified, the County Clerk will issue an absentee ballot to the voter.

Important: This is a special procedure for a medical emergency that occurs within 14 days of an election. It is different from the regular mail-in absentee ballot application process.

For questions or to request a medical emergency absentee ballot application, contact the Voter Registration Department at (270) 843-5306.