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    Protecting Election 2020 from Covid-19: A Toolkit for Kentucky Activists

    If the Covid-19 pandemic continues into November, we will need to change our election practices to make sure voters don’t have to choose between their health and their right to vote. We have the solutions to make our elections both safe and accessible to all. And with this toolkit, you will know what reforms your state needs and where to focus your efforts.

    Last Updated: August 20, 2020
    Published: August 20, 2020

    This is part of the Brennan Center’s Toolkits for Activists Across the Nation.

    Jump to a section: 
    Political Context  |  What’s in Place and What’s Needed  |  Key Dates

    Administering an election under pandemic conditions requires undertaking steps to keep voting accessible, safe, and secure. The guide below lays out the problems Covid-19 poses, what preparedness measures Kentucky has, and what changes are still needed. But first, we offer some political context for your advocacy.

    Advocacy Focus: Local Reform

    Local officials have a lot of responsibility over elections. They are a great place to focus advocacy efforts. Though state officials can make any of the changes in this toolkit, we highlight some examples of changes that local elections officials can also make with this symbol:🔸

    Political Context

    Below is a list of the relevant officials and information about the legislative session.

    Governor: Andy Beshear (D)  

    Secretary of State: Michael Adams (R)

    Legislature: House (R) Senate (R)

    Legislative Session: The legislature last adjourned on April 15, 2020. Only the governor can call a special legislative session.

    Local Elections Officials: In Kentucky, county clerks share responsibilities for administering elections. You can look up individual county clerks here.

    What Kentucky Has and What’s Needed

    Three priorities. There are three key areas where we need to shore up our elections systems for success during a pandemic: registration, mail voting, and in-person voting.

    Registration

    Covid-19 may disrupt the traditional ways Americans register to vote, like get out the vote drives or registering at government agencies. In the crucial weeks before the registration deadline, postal service disruptions may lead many registration forms to arrive at election offices after the deadline.

    Preparatory Measures Kentucky Already Has Taken:

    • Online voter registration

    Changes Still Needed:

    • Prepare to extend online and mail voter registration deadlines based on conditions in the state
    • Voter registration on Election Day

    Voting by Mail

    Because of Covid-19, long lines and crowds at the polls pose health risks not seen in previous elections. Allowing every citizen to vote by mail reduces the number of people at the polls on Election Day and decreases the exposure risk to Covid-19.

    Preparatory Measures Kentucky Already Has Taken:

    • All voters can vote by mail without an excuse
    • Online tool for requesting mail ballots 
    • No ID requirement to vote by mail
    • No notary or witness requirement for return of mail ballot
    • Provides pre-paid postage for voting by mail
    • Accepts late-arriving ballots postmarked by Election Day
    • Provides post-election notice and cure opportunity for defects on ballot envelope, including signature mismatch

    Changes Still Needed:

    • Provide post-election notice and cure opportunity for defects on ballot envelope, including missing signatures
    • Send absentee-ballot applications to all voters who have not yet applied

    In-Person Voting

    Even with expanded mail voting opportunity, states cannot close polling places. To do so may disenfranchise voters without Internet and mail access, or those who do not wish to cast a ballot by mail. In-person voting must be done in accordance with health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

    Preparatory Measures Kentucky Already Has Taken:

    • In-person early voting
    • Vote Centers on election day

    Changes Still Needed:

    • Ensure sufficient polling places are open and resourced on Election Day🔸
    • Open more in-person early voting locations🔸
    • Take proper public health precautions to ensure safe polling places🔸
    • Hold training sessions for polling-place workers well in advance of Election Day, so that election officials can better anticipate problems with staffing and logistics🔸
    • Increase access to curbside voting at polling locations

    Advocacy Focus: Protecting Polling Places

    No matter how prepared Kentucky is as a matter of policy, elections officials and advocates must stay vigilant about ensuring safe, healthy in-person voting is an option for everyone all the way through Election Day. Here are some important things to know about who makes decisions about polling places in Kentucky and what rules govern the process:

    • County boards designate polling places, and they must do so by September 20.🔸
    • If polling places must be changed after September 20, county boards have to provide notice of any change. If a change in polling locations becomes necessary on election day, notice shall be posted at the former voting place.🔸
    • The county board has the authority to “designate as voting places, without cost to the board, buildings constructed in whole or in part with tax revenues.”🔸
    • Polling places must be accessible to all eligible voters, including those with physical limitations and the elderly.🔸

    Key Dates for Kentucky Elections

    • May 26, 2020: Voter Registration Deadline for the Primary Election
    • June 23, 2020: Primary Election Day
    • October 5, 2020: Voter Registration Deadline for the General Election
    • October 13, 2020: First day of early voting for the General Election
    • November 3, 2020: General Election Day