Kentucky Gears Up for an Important Election Day on November 5
On November 5, voters in Kentucky will participate in a significant general election featuring over sixty races across the state. Key positions on the ballot include the presidency, U.S. House representatives, state Legislature slots, state Supreme Court judges, and two constitutional amendments.
Six individuals will be contesting for the presidential vote in Kentucky. Notable names include Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former Republican President Donald Trump. The state holds eight electoral votes, which will be awarded to the candidate who achieves a majority. Historically, Kentucky has been a reliable predictor of presidential elections, having voted for the winner from 1964 to 2004. However, in recent election cycles, it has leaned towards the Republican Party, marking a shift in voting trends over the last six presidential elections.
On Election Day, counties across Kentucky will begin counting absentee ballots early in the morning. However, results will remain under wraps until after the polls officially close. Kentucky has staggered poll closing times of 6 and 7 p.m. ET to accommodate its presence in both Eastern and Central time zones, with all polls ultimately closing by 6 p.m. local time.
Most counties report their vote tallies in one consolidated update. The largest counties, including Jefferson, Fayette, and Kenton, play a major role in the overall results. While Kentucky does have mandatory recount laws, these do not apply to the presidential election.
The method of declaring a winner follows strict guidelines, with the objective being to ensure a clear and conclusive result. Officials will only announce a winner once it is evident that no other result can feasibly bring the trailing candidates closer. Until a race is officially called, updates will continue on any relevant occurrences, such as candidate conceding or claiming victory, with clarifications regarding the status of the race provided as needed.
What to Anticipate on Election Day
Date: November 5
Poll Closing Times: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET (varying due to time zones)
Presidential Electoral Votes: 8 distributed to the overall statewide victor.
Highlighted Races and Candidates:
President: Kamala Harris (D) vs. Donald Trump (R) vs. Shiva Ayyadurai (Independent) vs. Robert Kennedy Jr. (Independent) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green).
Ballot Measures: Amendment 1 (requiring citizenship for voting) and Amendment 2 (permitting state funding for non-public education).
Additional Important Races: U.S. House, state Senate, state House, and state Supreme Court.
Historical Context and Voter Information
In the 2020 presidential election, Trump secured 62% of the votes, while Biden garnered 36%, with the AP declaring a race call on November 3, 2020, at 7 p.m. ET.
As of October 11, 2024, Kentucky has 3,548,136 registered voters, comprising approximately 43% Democrats, 47% Republicans, and 5% from other affiliations. Turnout was about 60% during the last presidential election in 2020.
Pre-Election Day Voting Trends:
In 2020, approximately 77% of the total votes were cast prior to Election Day, while this figure dropped to about 23% in the 2022 election. Information regarding early voting for 2024 will be tracked for upcoming updates.
Vote counting in Kentucky typically begins with initial reports around 6:16 p.m. ET on the election night, with nearly all votes expected to be tallied by midnight ET.
As Kentucky prepares for this election, citizens are poised to engage in pivotal races that will shape not only state policies but also the national landscape in the foreseeable future.