FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 4, 2016) - Absentee voting is now under way for Kentucky's Nov. 8 general election, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced today. "Casting a ballot in our democratic elections is a right and a responsibility," said Grimes, Kentucky's chief election official. "We've seen a huge uptick in registration over the last few months with nearly 20,000 Kentuckians registering to vote for the first time using our online portal at GoVoteKY.com<http://govoteky.com/>. I hope a record number of voters will cast ballots in this general election." Individuals who may be eligible to vote by mail-in absentee ballot include: * Military personnel, their dependents, and overseas citizens * Students who temporarily reside outside the county * Voters who temporarily reside outside Kentucky (e.g., vacationers) * Voters who are incarcerated but have not yet been convicted * Voters whose employment takes them outside the county for all days and hours the polling place is open * Voters of advanced age or who suffer from disability or illness * Voters who are participants in the Secretary of State's Address Confidentiality Program Voters may request an absentee ballot application from their county clerk in person or via telephone, fax, or email. Qualified military and overseas voters may also use the Commonwealth's online portal<http://elect.ky.gov/voterinfo/militaryandoverseasvoters/Pages/FPCARegistertovote.aspx> to request and receive their blank absentee ballots. Applications for mail-in absentee ballots must be received by the clerk's office no later than Nov. 1. The completed absentee ballot must be returned by mail and received by the county clerk by 6 p.m. local time on Election Day. Individuals who do not qualify to vote by mail-in absentee ballot may still be eligible to vote early in person prior to Nov. 8, Election Day. In-person absentee voting will begin in all counties no later than 12 working days prior to Nov. 8, but some counties may choose to begin in-person voting earlier. In-person absentee voting is conducted during the county clerk's regular business hours. Persons with questions about absentee voting should contact their county clerk<http://elect.ky.gov/contactcountyclerks/Pages/default.aspx> or call the State Board of Elections at 502-573-7100. Additional information about absentee voting is also available on the State Board's website<http://elect.ky.gov/voterinfo/Pages/absenteevoterinformation.aspx>.
