Elections & Voters FAQ
Q. How do I register to Vote?
A. Register online at govote.ky.gov, or stop by and complete a registration card when you visit the Barren County Clerk’s Office. For more information about how to register, visit the State Board of Elections web site.
Q. Who may register to Vote?
A.
- A native-born or naturalized U.S. citizen who is 18 years old by the date of the next General Election.
- A resident of the state and county at least 28 days before the election.
- A convicted felon whose civil rights have been legally restored.
- Any citizen who has not been judged “mentally incompetent” in a court of law.
- Any citizen who does not claim the right to vote outside Kentucky.
Q. When do I need to register to Vote?
A. The registration deadline is 28 days before each election. The Primary Election is held the first Tuesday after the third Monday in May; the General Election is held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Q. When do I need to change my party affiliation?
A. December 31st is the deadline each year for changing your political party affiliation to be eligible to vote in your party’s Primary Election the following year.
Q. What if I have special needs at the polls?
A. People who require voting assistance due to temporary/ permanent disability or an inability to read English may apply to the County Board of Elections for a certification of a need for voting assistance. A person may also request voting assistance from someone of their choice, or two Election Officers, at the polls. A person may not be assisted by their employer, an agent of the employer, a union officer or an agent of the voter’s union.
Q. If I move, will my polling location change?
A. Your polling location will not change as we have moved from Precincts to Polling Centers. But make sure you change your address on your voter registration as soon as possible so that you may be given the correct ballot style on Election Day.
Q. Where is my polling location?
A. Barren County now has 8 Voting Centers. Any eligible voters can vote at any ONE of the following locations on Election Day:
Barren County High School Gym
Cave City Convention Center
Austin Tracy Volunteer Fire Department
Haywood Volunteer Fire Department
Hiseville Elementary School
Park City Lyons Club
Temple Hill Elementary School
Beckton Community Center
Glasgow Middle School
Q. What are the proper forms of identification for voting?
A. Proper forms of identification are:
- Driver’s license
- Credit card
- Social security card
- personal acquaintance of an Election Officer
- Other personal identification bearing both the picture and signature of the voter
- Any U.S. government-issued identification card
- Any Kentucky state government-issued identification card with the voter’s picture
Any identification card issued by a Kentucky county and which has been approved in writing by the Kentucky State Board of Elections
Q. What are the reasons a person may be able to vote absentee by mail?
A. Kentucky law allows mailing an absentee ballot for these reasons:
• Person who, due to age, disability, or illness, will be unable to go to the polls on Election Day
• Student who temporarily resides outside the county in which he/she is registered
• Voter who temporarily resides outside the state, but who is still eligible to vote in this state
• Person incarcerated in jail that has been charged with a crime but has yet to be convicted of the crime
• Person whose employment location requires him/her to be absent from the county all hours and all days absentee voting by machine is being conducted
• Military personnel confined to a military base on Election Day
• Residents of Kentucky, and their dependents, that are members of the Armed Forces
• Kentucky citizens residing overseas
• Person who is a participant in the Office of the Secretary of State’s Address Confidentiality Program
Q. What is the deadline to request an absentee ballot?
A. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is fourteen (14) days before an election. You may request a ballot online at govoteky.gov or in person or over the phone from the Barren County Clerk’s Offices.
Q. What time do the polls open and close on Election Day?
A. The polls are open from 6:00am to 6:00pm.
Q. How is it possible for a 17-year-old to register, and vote in a Primary Election?
A. When his/her 18th birthday is on or before the date of the next General Election.
Q. If a person registers as an independent or no party/other preference, can that person vote for anyone they want to in the Primary Election?
A. No. Kentucky has a closed Primary system. The non- partisan registered voter may only vote for non-partisan races or issues in the Primary Election.
Q. Do voters have to re-register before every Election?
A. No. Only if the voters have moved, have had a name change, and/or wishes to change their political party affiliation.
Q. What happens in Kentucky elections if there is a tie?
A. It is settled by lot, the method is determined by members of the County Board of Elections.