Kentucky state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo or non-photo ID required
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
| 2018 Kentucky General Assembly elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | May 22, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
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| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Kentucky State Senate and Kentucky House of Representatives were on May 22, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Kentucky, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was January 30, 2018. In the state Senate, 19 of 38 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 100 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Eleven Democratic state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:
- Gerald Watkins (District 3)
- Will Coursey (District 6)
- Jody Richards (District 20)
- Steven Riggs (District 31)
- Jim Wayne (District 35)
- Darryl Owens (District 43)
- James L. Kay II (District 56)
- Arnold Simpson (District 65)
- Sannie Overly (District 72)
- Rick Nelson (District 87)
- Kevin Sinnette (District 100)
Incumbents defeated
One Democratic state House incumbent was defeated in the primaries:
- Dennis Horlander (District 40)
Competitiveness
There were 22 open seats in 2018, which was higher than the 10 open seats in 2016 and the 11 open seats in 2014. The 28 contested Democratic primaries was up from 18 in 2016 and 11 in 2014. The 29 contested Republican primaries was down from 34 in 2016 but up from 18 in 2014. The 298 candidates running was up from 255 in 2016 and 215 in 2014.
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 119 | 22 | 298 | 28 | 29 | 23.9% | 16 | 16.5% |
| 2016 | 119 | 10 | 255 | 18 | 34 | 21.8% | 18 | 16.5% |
| 2014 | 119 | 11 | 215 | 11 | 18 | 12.2% | 14 | 13.0% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Kentucky House of Representatives and the Kentucky State Senate as of May 2018:
Kentucky House of Representatives
| Party | As of May 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 37 | |
| Republican Party | 63 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 100 | |
Kentucky State Senate
| Party | As of May 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 11 | |
| Republican Party | 27 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 38 | |
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 only registered party members can participate.[1]
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.[2]
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:[3]
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The deadline to submit a voter registration application is 29 days before an election, unless that day is a state or federal holiday.[5] If mailed, applications must be postmarked by that deadline.[6]
Voter registration applications may be completed online, mailed to the county clerk's office, or submitted in person at the county clerk's office.[3]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter 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
- See also: Same-day voter 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.[3]
Verification of citizenship
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."[7]
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.[8] 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.[9][10]
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.[4] |
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Voters who cannot obtain a photo ID can sign a voter affirmation form and present one of the following non-photo IDs:[11]
- 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 they cannot make it to the polls on Election Day and they meet one of the following criteria:[12]
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Additionally, a voter that cannot make it to the polls on Election Day because as a result of medical emergency within 14 days of an election, and that voter's spouse, may request to receive an absentee ballot by mail.[13]
Voters can only request absentee ballots 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.[12]
State law allows for the portal to be open between 45 and 14 days immediately preceding a primary or general election.[12]
See also
- Kentucky state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- Kentucky House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Kentucky State Senate elections, 2018
- Kentucky State Legislature
- Kentucky elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "Ky. Rev. Stat. § 116.055," accessed October 20, 2025
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Election Day Information," accessed November 17, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Registration," accessed November 17, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "Ky. Rev. Stat. § 116.045," accessed November 17, 2025
- ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "116.0452 Standards for timely receipt of voter registration application -- Removal of names from registration books -- Confidentiality of registration location," accessed November 17, 2025
- ↑ Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Commonwealth of Kentucky Voter Registration Application," accessed November 17, 2025
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Voter ID Requirements," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ FindLaw.com, "Kentucky Revised Statutes Title X. Elections § 117.227. Confirmation of voter's identity," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ Fayette County Clerk, "Voter Registration FAQ," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Kentucky General Assembly, "Ky. Rev. Stat. § 117.085," accessed November 17, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "kyav" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "Ky. Rev. Stat. § 117.077," accessed November 17, 2025
