Democratic Party primaries in Kentucky, 2018

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Democratic Party primaries, 2018
Kentucky Democratic Party.png
Primary Date
May 22, 2018
Federal elections
Democratic primaries for U.S. House
State elections
Democratic primaries for Kentucky legislature
State party
Democratic Party of Kentucky
State political party revenue

Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.

Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[1][2]

Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[3] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[4][5][6]

Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[7]

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Kentucky on May 22, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.

Battleground primaries

Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.

Federal elections

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Kentucky (May 22, 2018 Democratic primaries)

The 2018 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Kentucky took place on November 6, 2018. Voters elected 6 candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's 6 congressional districts. In 2017, the DCCC identified Kentucky's 6th Congressional District as a targeted race. To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

District 1

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 2

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 3

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 4

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 5

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

District 6

Democratic Party Democratic primary candidates

State elections

Kentucky Party Control: 1992-2025
Eight years of Democratic trifectas  •  Three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D
Senate D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R

State party overview

See also: Democratic Party of Kentucky
Kentucky Democratic Party.png


State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Kentucky's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.

Democratic Party of Kentucky revenue, 2011 to 2016[8][9]
Year Federal account State account(s) Total
2011 $3,519,736.19 $1,927,508.00 $5,447,244.19
2012 $1,583,686.52 $1,369,206.00 $2,952,892.52
2013 $1,242,654.50 $0.00 $1,242,654.50
2014 $4,275,467.36 $2,312,189.00 $6,587,656.36
2015 $4,020,943.16 $2,841,541.00 $6,862,484.16
2016 $4,394,994.30 $1,185,533.88 $5,580,528.18

Kentucky compared to other states

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:

Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016

Primary election scheduling

Kentucky was one of three states to hold a primary election on May 22, 2018.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kentucky utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[10][11][12]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Kentucky, all polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central and Eastern Time. All those in line by 6:00 p.m. will be permitted to vote.[13]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

According to the Kentucky State Board of Elections, in order to register to vote, a person must:[14]

“
  • Be a U.S. citizen and a Kentucky resident for at least 28 days before the election.
    • Non-U.S. citizens, including U.S. nationals do not qualify;
  • Be at least 18 years old by the next General Election;
    • Kentucky law allows qualified individuals to register at 17 years of age and be able to participate in a Primary Election if the individual will be 18 years old by the General Election;
  • Not be a convicted felon (or, if convicted of a felony, my right to vote has been restored following an expungement, Executive Pardon, or Executive Order;
  • Not have been judged mentally incompetent in a court of law and have voting rights removed;
  • Not claim the right to vote outside Kentucky.[15]
 ”

The deadline to submit a voter registration application is 29 days before an election, unless that day is a state or federal holiday.[16] If mailed, applications must be postmarked by that deadline.[17]

Voter registration applications may be completed online, mailed to the county clerk's office, or submitted in person at the county clerk's office.[14]

Automatic registration

Kentucky does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Kentucky has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Kentucky does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Kentucky law requires 28 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Kentucky does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "per KRS 119.025, any person who causes himself to be registered when he is not legally entitled to register, shall be subject to penalties including fines and/or a term of imprisonment not less than one (1) year nor more than (5) years."[18]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[19] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Voter Information Center site, run by the Kentucky State Board of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.


Voter ID requirements

Kentucky requires voters to present identification while voting.[20][21]

As of October 2025, the following are the criteria for an eligible ID for voting purposes:

“ ​... a document that was issued by:

​(a) The United States or the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the document contains:

​​1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;

​​2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued;

​(b) The United States Department of Defense, a branch of the uniformed services, the Merchant Marine, or the Kentucky National Guard, and the document contains​:

​​1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;

​2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued;

(c) A public or private college, university, or postgraduate technical or professional school located within the United States, and the document contains:

​​​1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;

​2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued; or,

(d) Any city government, county government, urban-county government, charter county government, consolidated local government, or unified local government, which is located within this state, and the document contains:

​​1. The name of the individual to whom the document was issued;

​​​​2. A photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued.​[15]

”

Voters who cannot obtain a photo ID can sign a voter affirmation form and present one of the following non-photo IDs:[22]

  • Social Security card
  • Any ID card with both the voter’s photograph and name
  • Any food stamp ID card, electronic benefit transfer card, or supplemental nutrition assistance card issued by Kentucky that shows the voter’s name

Early voting

Kentucky permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

A Kentucky voter is eligible to vote absentee in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:[23]

  • The voter is advanced in age, disabled, or ill
  • The voter is a member of the United States Military or is a dependent of a member of the military
  • The voter is an overseas citizen
  • The voter is a student who temporarily resides outside the county
  • The voter is temporarily residing outside of Kentucky and maintains eligibility to vote in Kentucky, such as a "snowbird"
  • The voter is incarcerated, but not yet convicted of a crime
  • The voter is unable to vote in-person because of his or her employment location
  • The voter is a participant in the Secretary of State's crime victim address confidentiality protection program
  • The voter is subject to a medical emergency within fourteen days or less of an election
  • The voter has change their residence or registered in a new state after the date on which that state closes their registration before a presidential election, than the voter may cast an absentee ballot by mail in Kentucky

Absentee ballots can only be requested through an online portal established by the State Board of Elections. Disabled, military and overseas, and voters subject to medical emergencies may also request an absentee ballot through their county clerk. Eligible voters who do not have internet access may give their information to a county clerk by phone to request an absentee ballot.[24]

State law allows for the portal to be open between 45 and 14 days immediately preceding a primary or general election.[24]


See also

Federal primaries in Kentucky State primaries in Kentucky Kentucky state party apparatus Kentucky voter information
CongressLogo.png
Flag of Kentucky.png
Seal of Kentucky.png
Election Policy Logo.png

Footnotes

  1. ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
  2. ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
  3. ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
  4. ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
  5. ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
  6. ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
  7. ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
  8. ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Search Our Database," accessed May 2016 (Search by Executive Committee)
  9. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Republican Party of Kentucky and Kentucky State Democratic Central Executive Committee)
  10. ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," February 06, 2024
  11. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
  12. ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections,"Key Information," accessed July 26, 2024
  13. ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Election Day Information," accessed July 26, 2024
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Registration," accessed July 26, 2024
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  16. ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "116.045 Voter registration, transfer, or change of party affiliation -- Availability of forms," accessed July 24, 2024
  17. ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "116.0452 Standards for timely receipt of voter registration application -- Removal of names from registration books -- Confidentiality of registration location," accessed July 24, 2024
  18. ↑ Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Commonwealth of Kentucky Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
  19. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  20. ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Voter ID Requirements," accessed October 6, 2025
  21. ↑ FindLaw.com, "Kentucky Revised Statutes Title X. Elections § 117.227. Confirmation of voter's identity," accessed October 6, 2025
  22. ↑ Fayette County Clerk, "Voter Registration FAQ," accessed October 6, 2025
  23. ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 117, "117.076 No-excuse in-person absentee ballot -- Excused in-person absentee ballot -- Proof of identification -- In-person absentee voting procedure -- Voter assistance form -- Oath of voter affidavit -- Signature roster -- Members of county board may serve as precinct officers -- Challengers -- Locking of voting equipment -- Transmitting or publicizing count -- Tamper-resistant seal -- Administrative regulations.," accessed July 25, 2024
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 117, "117.085 Mail-in absentee ballots -- Application through online portal and other means -- Procedures -- Cancellation -- Administrative regulations -- Disclosure of information." accessed July 25, 2024
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Party primaries by state, 2018
Republican primaries, 2018
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