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April 23 Is Deadline For Registering To Vote In Primary

Mercer County residents have until Monday, April 23, to register to vote in May’s Primary Election.

The county clerks’ office will accept online and paper applications until 4 p.m. next Monday. Mail-in voter registration applications must be postmarked by April 23.

In Mercer County, there are only three races to be decided. Garland Christopher is vying with the incumbent, Bret “Chambo” Chamberlain, for the Republican nomination for Mercer County jailer. The winner will face Democrat William Moore in the November general election.

In the 4th Magisterial District, which includes Burgin, Mary Margaret Heaton is vying with the incumbent, Donnie Webb, for the Democratic nomination. The winner will face Republican George Jones in the general election.

In the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Mercer County, four candidates—Rane Eir Olivia Sessions, Grant Short, Hank Linderman and Brian Pedigo—are vying for the Democratic nomination. The winner will face the incumbent, Rep. Brett Guthrie, in November.

The primary will be held on Tuesday, May 22.

Kentuckians who are 17 years old but will be 18 years old on or before the Nov. 6, general election are eligible to register and vote in the upcoming primary.

The deadline to register to vote in the General Election is Oct. 11, 2018.

To be eligible to vote, Kentuckians must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen.
  • Be a Kentucky resident for at least 28 days before Election Day.
  • Be at least 18 years old on or before the General Election.
  • Not be a convicted felon, or if convicted of a felony offense, must have obtained a restoration of civil rights.
  • Not have been judged “mentally incompetent.”
  • Not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Kentucky.

Voters who have recently moved need to update their voter registration information no later than April 23. Pursuant to Kentucky law, voters who move from one county to another county while the voter registration books are open and fail to update their registration information before the voter registration books close are not permitted to vote in the Primary.

Kentucky has closed party primary elections, which means voters must register as a Democrat or Republican to vote. All eligible registered voters may vote for any candidate regardless of party registration in general or special elections.

Changes in party affiliation for the 2018 Primary Election were due by Dec. 31, 2017. Voters who changed their party affiliation after that date are not eligible to vote in partisan races in the Primary, although they may vote on nonpartisan races on the ballot. Voters who changed their party affiliation after Dec. 31, 2017, may still vote for their candidate in the November general election.

Voters may check their current registration status and where they vote with the Voter Information Center found at GoVoteKY.com. For questions, contact your county clerk or the State Board of Elections at (502) 573-7100.

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