Kentucky
1 Check ID Rules
Voting in Person
Kentucky requests photo ID to vote in person. You can vote without a photo ID if you sign a Voter Affirmation form and present a supporting form of ID.
Accepted IDs
Show one of these photo IDs to vote a regular ballot:
Ok if expired
- ID issued by United States, Kentucky, or local government
- Student ID issued by higher education institution located in United States
- Military identification issued by Kentucky National Guard, US Military, or Merchant Marines
Reasonable Impediment
If you do not have one of the photo IDs listed above, you can still cast a regular ballot if you qualify for a reasonable impediment exception.
A “reasonable impediment” is something you can’t control that stops you from getting an accepted photo ID.
Kentucky accepts the following reasons:
- lack of transportation
- lack of birth certificate (or other necessary documents)
- conflict with your work schedule
- photo ID was lost or stolen
- disability or illness
- family responsibilities
- applied for photo ID but haven’t received it
- religious objection to being photographed
You must:
1️⃣ Present one supporting form of ID:
- ID issued by Kentucky county and approved by State Board of Elections
- Other ID with your name and photo
2️⃣ Ask to complete and sign a Voter Affirmation form.
New in 2026! Kentucky no longer accepts these secondary IDs: Social Security cards, public assistance cards (EBT/food stamps/SNAP), credit or debit cards
Voting by Mail
Absentee ballots in Kentucky are only for some voters.
Reasons you can vote by absentee ballot include:
- Temporarily living outside of Kentucky
- Disability or illness
- Living away from your county due to school
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have the right ID to vote in Kentucky?
Kentucky voters who do not present an accepted photo ID at the polls have two options:
Qualify for a Reasonable Impediment Exception
This option is for voters who don’t have and can’t reasonably get an accepted form of photo ID:
- Bring a supporting ID with you
- Tell the poll worker that you don’t have a photo ID and could not get one
- Complete and sign a Voter Affirmation form
- Vote a regular ballot
A “reasonable impediment” is something you can’t control that stops you from getting an accepted photo ID.
Kentucky accepts the following reasons:
- lack of transportation
- lack of birth certificate (or other necessary documents)
- conflict with your work schedule
- photo ID was lost or stolen
- disability or illness
- family responsibilities
- applied for photo ID but haven’t received it
- religious objection to being photographed
Vote a Provisional Ballot for Federal Offices
If you can’t present an accepted ID or confirm your identity another way, you can cast a provisional ballot for any federal office on the ballot. Provisional ballots make sure eligible voters are not rejected at the polls.
You must sign an affirmation that you are registered and eligible to vote.
Can I use a digital or mobile ID to vote in Kentucky?
Do I need a “REAL ID” to vote in Kentucky?
Not answered
Can you fix your absentee ballot if it is rejected?
You must be notified if your ballot is missing your signature or if the signature on it does not match your signature in state records.
You can correct issues with your ballot if you are able to resubmit it before polls close on Election Day.
Who can vote absentee in Kentucky?
In Kentucky, you have to give a specific reason for voting by absentee ballot.
The following reasons are accepted:
- You are temporarily living out of state but still eligible to vote in Kentucky.
- You are a student temporarily residing outside their county.
- You are incarcerated but not yet convicted of a crime.
- You can’t vote in person on Election Day or during early voting due to your work location.
- You aren’t able to vote in person due to age, illness, or disability.
- You are serving in the military (including spouse and dependents) or living overseas.
- You move to a different state after the voter registration deadline (only allowed to vote for President and Vice President).
- You are participating in the Secretary of State’s crime victim address confidentiality protection program.
Request your absentee ballot using the state’s online portal.
