Voting in Kentucky, 2026

Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.

Right nowEarly voting in Kentucky begins Thursday, October 29.Election Day in 7 days

Every date, in order

Mon, Oct 5 · passed
Registration deadline
Register by Monday October 5, 2026, 29 days before Election Day.¹
Tue, Oct 20 · passed
Last day for mail ballot applications
Mail absentee requests must be made online by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday October 20, 2026.¹
Thu, Oct 29 · 2 days
Early voting begins
Sat, Oct 31 · 4 days
Early voting ends
Early voting runs from Thursday October 29 through Saturday October 31, 2026.¹
Tue, Nov 3 · 7 days
Election Day; Mail ballots must arrive
Mail absentee ballots must be received by 6 p.m. on Election Day.¹
Fri, Nov 6 · 10 days
County/Local certification
County/Local results must be certified by Friday, November 6, 2026. County boards must report their results by noon on the Tuesday after the election, November 10, 2026.³
Tue, Nov 10 · 14 days
County/Local canvass
Counties canvass by noon on the Tuesday following the election, November 10.²
Mon, Nov 23 · 27 days
State canvass; State certification
The statewide canvass is complete no later than the third Monday after the election, November 23.²
Thu, Dec 3 · 37 days
Deadline to contest the result
A contest for most offices must be filed in circuit court within 30 days after the election, by December 3, 2026, or within 10 days if it asks for a recount.⁴

Questions people ask about voting in Kentucky

Q. When does early voting end in Kentucky?

Early voting runs from Thursday October 29 through Saturday October 31, 2026.

Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in Kentucky?

Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in Kentucky?

Mail absentee requests must be made online by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday October 20, 2026.

Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in Kentucky?

Mail absentee ballots must be received by 6 p.m. on Election Day.

Q. Who certifies the election in Kentucky, and by when?

The county board of elections, the county clerk, the sheriff and two appointed party members, prepares the county canvass and sends the results to the Secretary of State. County/Local results must be certified by Friday, November 6, 2026. County boards must report their results by noon on the Tuesday after the election, November 10, 2026. The State Board of Elections receives and tabulates the county results, prepares the official canvass and certifies it. The State Board of Elections meets to canvass the results no later than the third Monday after the election, November 23, 2026.

Q. What happens after the count in Kentucky, and when is there a recount?

A recanvass may be requested by 4 p.m. on the Tuesday after the election, November 10, 2026, and a contest of most general election races must be filed in circuit court within 30 days.

Q. How long is there to contest an election in Kentucky?

A contest for most offices must be filed in circuit court within 30 days after the election, by December 3, 2026, or within 10 days if it asks for a recount.

Sources

Vote.org, Kentucky Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/kentucky/
NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines
NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/

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