Many students at Manual are 18 or about to turn 18, and with this comes an important civic duty: the ability to vote. If you are planning to vote in the upcoming midterm elections in Kentucky, there is a lot you should know.

Voting Requirements

In order to vote in the upcoming midterms in Kentucky, it is necessary to register before Oct. 9.

 According to the State Board of Elections, you are eligible to register in Kentucky if

• You are 18-years-old or older by the general midterm elections on Nov. 6.
• You have been a resident of the state for at least 28 days.
• You are not a convicted felon, or have had your civil rights restored.
• You have not claimed the right to vote in another state.
• The government has not adjudged you “mentally incompetent” and had your voting rights removed.

How to Register

The Voter Information Portal is here if you wish to register online.

If you prefer to register via mail, complete a Voter Registration Application and send it to your county clerk’s office. You may also submit your application in person.

If you do not know where your county clerk’s office is, you can click here.

The Jefferson County Clerk’s Office is located in the Edison Building at 701 West Ormsby Ave., STE 301 Louisville, KY 40203-3143. If you wish to contact them, their phone number is 502-574-6100 and their email is [email protected]. If you need more information, their website is here.

Absentee Voting

Many must resort to absentee voting when they are unavailable on the actual election day. There are two types of absentee voting: mail-in voting and in-person voting. These methods essentially allow you to vote if you are going to miss the official voting day. However, not everyone can use this option. There are certain requirements for both types.

The requirements for absentee voting according to the State Board of Elections are that you must be

• “Advanced in age, disabled, or ill.”
• “Military personnel, their Dependents, or Overseas Citizens.”
• “A student who temporarily resides outside the county.”
• “A voter who temporarily resides outside of Kentucky and who maintains eligibility to vote in Kentucky, such as a ‘snowbird.’”
• “Incarcerated, but not yet convicted of a crime.”
• “Prevented from voting in person at the polls on election day and from casting an in-person absentee ballot in the county clerks office on all days in-person absentee voting is conducted because of his or her employment location.”

Do you have to vote?

There is no law requiring the eligible to vote. In the 2014 midterms in Kentucky, there was only a 28.4 percent turn out. If you were not one of those 28.4 percent and you wish to be, the information above will help you get started, no matter who you vote for.