Voting & Elections Toolkits

Deadline

• April 20, 2020  is the registration deadline for the May 19th, 2020 election.
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• Guidelines:  url noted
• Election Calendar:  url noted
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Online registration

Note: requires entering Social Security # and date of birth.

Online registration (in English) is directly at: https://vrsws.sos.ky.gov/ovrweb/default

To use the online voter registration system you must have a current and valid driver’s license ...  ???

Mail-in registration

Printable forms (in English and Spanish):  url noted...

Refer to the box below for information about ID requirements.

Choosing a political party   

You may choose a political party affiliation when you register, but it is not required.                 

Updating registration      

To update registration after a move, name change, or change of political party affiliation, use the Kentucky Voter Information Portal

Cancelling registration

To remove someone from a voter roll, contact :    name ; url noted

ID Requirements for Voting

First-Time Voters

First-time voters who meet certain requirements must present either a current and valid photo ID with their name and address OR “a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address.”

If you cannot meet either of the above requirements, you may sign an affidavit and cast a provisional ballot subject to verification of your eligibility to vote.

All Other Voters

Voters who are not voting for the first time can present:

• A Social Security card, OR
• Any pre-printed form of identification that shows your name and address, or name and signature, or name and photograph, OR
• Sign a statement under penalty of false statement on Form ED-681 entitled, "Signatures of Electors Who Did Not Present ID", provided by the Secretary of the State that the elector whose name appears on the official check list is the same person who is signing the form.

More information: url noted

Where to get an ID

Department of Motor Vehicles

• Locations: url noted

Obtaining a Driver’s License

• New license:  url noted
• Transferring from another state: url noted
• Obtaining a non-driver photo ID: url noted

Absentee voting

          general information:  https://elect.ky.gov/Voters/Pages/Absentee-Voting.aspx

Opening/closing dates

• Absentee ballots -- received prior to Election Day if by mail; or in person at the County Clerk's office prior to Election Day.

Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.

• Link for the form for military and overseas voters:  https://ky.secureballotusa.com/portal/#/request-ballot/fpca
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Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

In order to apply for and receive an absentee ballot, you must meet one of the following requirements:

    for mail-in absentee ballot:

• 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

     for in-person absentee ballot :  [one of these requirements]

• Out of the county on election day
• Advanced in age, disabled, or ill
• Military, their Dependents, or an Overseas Citizen
• Military personnel confined to base and learn of your confinement within seven days or less of an election
• Student or resident who temporarily resides outside of the county
• Voter or the spouse of a voter who has surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on Election Day
• Pregnant woman in third trimester
• Precinct election officer appointed to serve in precinct other than his own
• Staff / officerof : Alternate precinct election officer; County Board of Elections’ members ; County Board of Elections’ staff ; Deputy county clerk ; State Board of Elections’ staff

Absentee ballots can only be obtained by contacting the County Clerk’s office

Polling places and hours

• Use the Voter Information Center to find your polling place:  https://vrsws.sos.ky.gov/ovrweb/default
  • Requires entering date of birth
• For a general election or primary, polls in Connecticut are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Check with the Town Clerk regarding voting hours for referenda.
• Time off to vote: Connecticut does not require employers to give employees time off to vote.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

• Lyft (www.lyft.com) provides free or discounted rides in some underserved communities
• Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local office:
  • Republican Party: url noted
  • Democratic Party: url noted

Help for disabled voters

• Disability Rights Connecticut (url noted operates the Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access (PAVA) program.
• If you have a permanent disability, you may be eligible to apply for a permanent absentee ballot from your Town Clerk.
• A vote by phone option is available at every polling place for voters with disabilities or for any voter who prefers this option.

Ballots

Where to get more info on candidates

Referenda

Sample ballots

• 2019 General Election:  http://apps.sos.ky.gov/electionballots/

Who are the candidates, and what else is on the ballot?

• Town-by-town sample ballots: https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Town-Ballots/Ballots
• Certificates of endorsement by political parties: https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Certificate-of-Endorsement/2018-Certificates-of-Endorsement

Important Dates

Election Day is November 6, 2018

Dates of municipal elections can be found in the State Register and Manual https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Register-Manual/Register-Manual/Connecticut-State-Register--Manual

Who conducts elections?

• The Connecticut Secretary of State is the Commissioner of Elections and oversees statewide and local elections
• The Registrars of Voters maintains voter rolls for each municipality
• Town Clerks prepare ballots and administer balloting for each municipality

Voter Bill of Rights

English https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/ElectionServices/HAVA/HavaPDF/VotersBillofRightsEngpdf.pdf?la=en

Spanish https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/ElectionServices/HAVA/HavaPDF/VotersBillofRightsSpanpdf.pdf?la=en

Where to go with complaints about candidates or how elections are conducted

The Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission (https://ct.gov/seec/site/default.asp) has “the authority to investigate possible violations of the election laws, inspect campaign finance records and reports, refer evidence of violations to the Chief State's Attorney or to the Attorney General, issue advisory opinions and make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning revisions to the state's election laws.”

Campaign finance

Campaign Reporting Information System (www.ct.gov/seec/site/default.asp) provides access to candidates’ election committee and Political Action Committee campaign finance filings

How to contact your elected officials:

Find your elected officials: http://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Find-Your-Town-Clerk-Registrar-and-Elected-Officials/Find-Your-Town-Clerk-Registrar-of-Voters-and-Elected-Officials