It’s time to vote in 2024 General Election. How to find your Kentucky polling place

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Polls across Kentucky open at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, for the 2024 General Election, where voters can make selections in the closely watched presidential contest and several legislative and local races.

Fayette County voters will have more options this year, with the county opening vote centers at Lexington Public Library branches Tuesday to accommodate potentially high turnout.

“We are expecting a large turnout at our libraries and have them to use as a fallback for people on Election day if their precincts are overflowing,” Fayette County clerk Susan Lamb told the Herald-Leader recently. “We have expanded the number of privacy areas where people can fill out their ballots in all voting locations but the larger libraries can accommodate more privacy screens on tables.”

This expansion means six library branches — Tates Creek, Marksbury, Beaumont, Central, Eastside and Northside — will serve as vote centers, or sites where any registered Fayette County voter can visit regardless of their address. The branches also served as early voting sites during the state’s three-day, no excuse absentee period Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

Some early markers, including mail-in ballot requests and excused absentee early voting demand, indicate turnout for November’s election could be strong across the Bluegrass State. Early voting returns are more mixed broadly across the U.S., according to a recent analysis by CNN, Edison Research and Catalist. As of Oct. 29, more than 48 million ballots had already been cast across the country, down from the same period in 2020, when Americans voted early in greater numbers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the exception of Kentucky counties that offer vote centers, generally, registered voters must cast their ballot by precinct at assigned polling locations. If you are unsure of where to go on Election Day, we’ve rounded up what you need to know and how to find your Kentucky polling place.

How to find your Kentucky polling place for the Nov. 5 election

Polls are open across Kentucky Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, and all voters in line by 6 p.m. should be allowed to cast their ballots.

The easiest way to determine your precinct is by visiting the state’s voter information portal, available at govote.ky.gov. There, you can enter your legal first and last name, along with your date of birth to pull up your voter registration.

In addition to your polling place, your voter information shows the status of your mail-in ballot if you requested one. Your polling place should appear first on the list, followed by vote centers available to you, if applicable.

If your registration does not give you information on your assigned polling place, you can find a complete list of Kentucky polling locations by county online at elect.ky.gov/Voters/Pages/Polling-Locations.aspx.

Some county clerk’s websites also offer their own voter information lookup tools.

All Kentucky voters are subject to the state’s voter ID law and must present their identification when they vote.

How can I return my mail-in ballot? Where are ballot drop boxes located?

If you have opted to vote by mail, you should return your voted ballot no later than 6 p.m. Election Day.

In addition to mailing it back using the U.S. Postal Service, you can take it directly to your county clerk’s office or drop it in a secure ballot drop box These drop boxes are in public places and monitored via camera.

Secretary of State Michael Adams, the state’s top election official, has said more than 130,000 Kentuckians requested to vote by mail in this fall’s election.

Here’s where you can find drop boxes in Fayette and surrounding counties:

• Fayette County: Fayette County clerks office, along the sidewalk in front of the building at 162 E. Main St. in Lexington
• Scott County: Scott County courthouse in the first floor foyer at 101 E. Main St. in Georgetown
• Bourbon County: County clerk’s office on the main floor and the basement vehicle room, both at 301 Main St. in Paris
• Jessamine County: Jessamine County courthouse at 101 N. Main St. in Nicholasville
• Woodford County: Woodford County courthouse at 103 S. Main St. in Versailles
• Clark County: Clark County courthouse at 34 South Main St. in Winchester

If you live in another county, you can use the state’s polling place list to find a drop box near you.

Remember to fill out your ballot completely following the instructions provided before signing and sealing the envelope.

Do you have a question about elections in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.

This story was originally published November 4, 2024 at 6:00 AM.