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Laws governing local ballot measures in Kentucky
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This page describes the state constitutional provisions and statutes that govern local ballot measures in Kentucky. Jurisdictions often establish additional rules within the parameters of state law; those can be found in local ordinances and home-rule charters.
Explore the links below for more information:
- Laws addressing local ballot measure powers in Kentucky
- General requirements for local ballot measures
- Rules for citizen-initiated local ballot measures
- Rules for referred local ballot measures
Law
The Kentucky Constitution and Kentucky Revised Statutes establish the rules that govern local ballot measures in the state.
- Constitution: Section 60, The Legislative Department, Kentucky Constitution
- Statute: Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapters 65, 67, 68, 83A, 162, and 242.
General
The following outlines the general rules that govern local ballot measures in Kentucky, including both citizen-initiated measures and referred measures from local government bodies.
- Vote requirements: Most local ballot measures require a simple majority vote. For school bond elections, a two-thirds supermajority vote is required. Consolidated county charter questions require a majority vote of those residents voting within the unincorporated area of the county to vote in favor of its adoption and a majority of those residents voting within the city containing the largest population in the county or a majority of residents within cities that together contain at least 50% of the population residing within the incorporated areas of the county.[1][2]
- Election timing:
- For local option elections for alcohol sales: Next general or primary election following petition certification, unless the petition contained a different date, then the petitioners must cover the cost of the special election[3]
- For school bond elections: Not less than 15 days and not more than 30 days from the time the request of the board of education is filed with the county clerk[4]
Initiatives
The following outlines the general rules that govern local citizen-initiated ballot measures in Kentucky.
- Authority: Chapter 83A.120 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes authorizes citizens to initiate public questions.[5]
- Signatures: The number of signatures required for a local ballot initiative depends on the type of initiative:
- Initiated ordinances: 20% of the total number of votes cast in the city in the last presidential election[5]
- Initiatives to dissolve a special district: 50% of that class of citizens who may by law petition for the creation of the district[6]
- Initiated local option for alcohol sales question: 25% of the votes cast in the territory at the last preceding general election[3]
- Initiated urban-county charter government election: 5% of voters of the county voting in the immediate past general election and 5% of the number of voters of each municipal corporation, voting in the immediate past general election[7]
- Deadlines: Deadlines differ by type of initiative:
- Initiated ordinances and urban-county government formation petitions: Petitions certification by county clerks must be completed by the second Tuesday in August preceding the day established for a regular election.[5]
- Initiatives to dissolve a special district: The last signature cannot be obtained more than 90 days after the first.[5][6]
- Initiated local option for alcohol sales question: Petitions can only be circulated for six months before being filed.[3]
Referrals
The following outlines the general rules that govern local referred ballot measures in Kentucky.
- Authority: Chapter 83A.120 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes authorizes cities to send public questions allowed under state law to voters. Chapter 162.080 authorizes school districts to issue bonds for new construction and capital improvements. Chapter 68.530 authorizes county fiscal courts to send public questions regarding the establishment of public service programs to county voters. Chapter KRS 67.830 authorizes the fiscal court in any county, a city of the first class, an urban-county government, or a unified local government, and a majority of all cities within the county to vote on a question to merge all units of local government within the county to form a charter county.[5][4][8][2]
- Deadlines: The deadline to refer a county proposal to voters is the second Tuesday in August preceding the regular election.[8][5]
Laws governing local ballot measures in the U.S.
Laws governing local ballot measures in the United States
As state laws govern ballot measures, the rules are different from state to state. Click on a state below to explore that state's laws on local ballot measures.
See also
- Laws governing local ballot measures
- Laws governing ballot measures in Kentucky
- Local ballot measures, Kentucky
- Counties in Kentucky
Footnotes
- ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Chapter 162.090," accessed November 24, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kentucky Revised Statutes, "67.830 Procedure for adoption of charter county form of government or for consolidation of services or functions.," accessed November 24, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Chapter 242.020 Petition for election," accessed November 24, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Chapter 162.080 Bond issues for school sites and buildings -- Authorization -- Election," accessed November 24, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Chapter 83A.120," accessed November 24, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Chapter 65.170 Dissolution by referendum," accessed November 24, 2025
- ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Chapter 67A.020 Election on urban-county form of government -- Formation of plan.," accessed November 25, 2025
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Chapter 68.530 Fiscal court resolution and order designating submission of proposals to voters -- Election -- Framing of questions.," accessed November 24, 2025
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