Primary Elections
What is a Primary election and why should I vote in one?
A Primary Election takes place several months before the General Election in a given year. For each office, the two candidates that get the most votes in the primary will advance to the General Election.
Primaries are important! Voters tend to participate less in the primaries, which means candidates are elected by a smaller, less representative percentage of the population. This isn’t ideal for a competitive race or a healthy democracy. More voters need to participate in Primary elections to help ensure that candidates represent the true interests of a community.
In 2026, Lexington will have primaries for Mayor and Council District 5. If you are registered as a Democrat, then you will also see several county offices on your primary ballot.
What is a closed primary, and why does Kentucky have them?
A closed primary means that your voter registration must have a political party (usually Democrat or Republican) to be able to vote in Primary Elections. Then you will only vote in the races affiliated with the political party you’re registered for. In some cases, like special elections or non-partisan races, those not affiliated with a political party can vote in the primary. Check your registration here.
State law determines who can vote in Primary Elections, and Kentucky is one of eight states with closed primaries. Other states have:
Partially closed primaries where the political parties themselves get to decide if voters not affiliated with their party can vote in their primaries
Partially open primaries where voters registered with one party can choose to vote in the other party’s primary elections
Open to unaffiliated voters where the unaffiliated voter (usually registered as an independent) gets to decide which political party they would like to vote in in the primaries
Open primaries where regardless of voter registration, voters get to choose which political party’s ballot to receive
Who is running in Lexington’s primary?
The race for Lexington’s Urban County Mayor will have a primary. If you are registered to vote in Lexington, you can vote in this race!
Council District 5 will also have a primary because there are more than two people running. You can only vote in this race if you live in District 5. Find your council district here.
While most public offices are non-partisan (do not affiliate with a political party), there are some offices in Fayette County that are partisan. If you are a registered Democrat, then you will also see the following races on your ballot:
County Commissioner (Districts 1 and 2)
Magistrate (District 3)
Constable (Districts 1 and 3)
In addition to these local primary races, there are State and Federal offices on your ballot — so your vote still matters a lot!
You can read more about all of the primary candidates by selecting a district in the drop down menu at the top of this website, or find the entire filed candidate list here.
How do I vote in the 2026 Primary?
Election Day is May 19th, 2026. You must be registered to vote by April 20th.
More information on Voting Centers from the County Clerk’s Office
Here’s how to vote:
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A document issued by Kentucky that contains both the voters’ name and photograph
A document issued by the US government that contains both the voters’ name and photograph
A document issued by the US Department of Defense, a branch of the uniformend services, the Merchant Marines, or the KY National Guard that contains both the voter’s name and photograph
A document issued by a public or private college, university, or postgraduate technical or professional school located within the United States that contains both the voter’s name and photograph
A document issued by any city government, county government, urban-county government, consolidated local government, or unified local government, located in KY that contains both the voter’s name and photograph
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Any registered voter of the county may cast their ballot in person on the day of the primary election (May 19th) at their assigned voting location OR any of the library voting centers between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Voters must be in line by 6:00 p.m. in order to cast their ballots.
You may also cast your ballot at any of the library voting centers:
Beaumont Branch Library
Central Library
Eastside Branch Library
Northside Branch Library
Tates Creek Library
Marksbury Family Branch Library
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If you have not requested a mail-in absentee ballot, you may vote on May 14th-16th from 8:30am-4:30pm at any of the following locations:
Beaumont Branch Library
Central Library
Eastside Branch Library
Northside Branch Library
Tates Creek Library
Marksbury Family Branch Library
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Military personnel, their dependents, and citizens who live overseas (temporarily or indefinitely) are permitted to cast an absentee ballot in one of the following ways:
1. The qualified voter may cast his/her ballot during the in-person absentee period if the voter will be absent from the county on Election Day, or if the voter learns he/she will be confined to a military base within the county on Election Day.
2. The qualified voter may apply for an absentee ballot that may be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the voter at his/her request.
Qualified voters may apply using the State Board of Elections Military and Overseas Voters Portal or by submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
**All applications must reach the County Clerk’s office seven (7) days prior to the election. The ballot must be returned by mail and reach the office no later than 6:00 p.m. on Election Day.**
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In-Person Absentee Voting with a Qualifying Excuse
Any registered voter of the county with a qualifying excuse who has not requested a mail-in absentee ballot may cast their in-person absentee ballot at the Fayette County Clerk’s Office, 162 E. Main St., on one of the following days between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm:
May 6th - 8th & 11th - 13th
Qualifying excuses are:
The voter is a Kentucky resident who is a member of the Uniformed Services and their dependents, or voter who is residing overseas (temporarily or permanently) who will be absent from the county on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
The voter or the voter's spouse has surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
The voter is temporarily residing outside the state but is still eligible to vote in this state (this includes vacationers) and will be absent from the county on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
The voter will be confined to a military base on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
The voter is in their last trimester of pregnancy
The voter is unable to appear at the polls on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person voting due to age, disability, or illness
The voter is a student who temporarily resides outside their county of residence and will be absent from that county on the day of the election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
The voter is employed in an occupation that is scheduled to work during all days and all hours the polls are open on election day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
The voter is an election officer tasked with election administration for the current election cycle
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Kentucky state law requires voters to have a qualifying excuse in order to cast an absentee ballot by mail. Except for covered voters as described in #6 below and medical emergencies occurring within fourteen (14) days of the primary or general election.
The absentee portal will be open for the Primary Election April 6th - May 4th. All requests must be made by 11:59 p.m. on May 4, 2026. All ballots must reach the Fayette County Clerk's office by 6:00 p.m. on election day to be counted. If you qualify to cast a mail-in ballot for one of the reasons below you may request an absentee ballot here.
The following voters qualify to apply for a mail-in ballot:
1. A voter who due to age, disability, or illness will be unable to go to the polls on election day or during walk-in absentee voting
2. A student who temporarily resides outside the county in which he/she is registered to vote
3. A voter who temporarily resides outside the state but who is still eligible to vote in this state (this includes vacationers)
4. A voter who is incarcerated in jail who has been charged with a crime but has yet to be convicted of the crime
5. A voter whose employment location requires him/her to be absent from the county on election day and all hours and days in-person absentee voting is conducted
6. Covered Voters as defined in KRS 117A.010 - These voters are Members of the Armed Forces and their dependents who will be out of the county on election day and voters residing overseas (temporarily or permanently)
7. A voter who is a participant in the Office of the Secretary of State's address confidentiality program
8. A voter who moved, or is moving, to a different state while the new state's registration books are closed before a Presidential Election (Presidential only ballot)
What else do I need to know?
You have rights as a voter!
If the polls close while you’re still in line, stay in line – you have the right to vote.
If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask for a new one.
You can call the Election Protection Hotline if you have any problems or questions on Election Day:
English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683
Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683
More great info from Election Protection about what to do if:
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Ask the poll worker to double check the list and spell out your name for them.
If your name isn’t on the list, ask if there is a supplemental list of voters.
If the poll worker still can’t find your name, confirm you are at the correct polling place:
Request that the poll worker check a statewide system to see if you are registered to vote at a different location.
If they don’t have access to a statewide system, ask them to call the main election office.
You can also call 1-866-OUR-VOTE and ask for help verifying your proper polling place.
If you are registered at a different location, in most instances you will have to travel to that location to cast a regular ballot.
If the poll worker still can’t find your name, or if you can’t travel to the correct polling place, ask for a provisional ballot.
If you are turned away or denied a provisional ballot, call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)
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Under federal law, all polling places for federal elections must be fully accessible to older adults and voters with disabilities. Simply allowing curbside voting is not enough to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements.
In federal elections, every polling place must have at least one voting system that allows voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently. Usually, this is a machine that can read the ballot to you (for people with vision disabilities or dyslexia), and let you vote by pushing buttons (for people with mobility disabilities).
Under federal law, voters with disabilities and voters who have difficulty reading or writing English have the right to receive in-person help at the polls from the person of their choice. This helper cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an agent or officer of the voter’s union. The helper must respect the voter’s privacy, not looking at the voter’s ballot unless the voter asks them to do so.
Election officials (including poll workers) must make reasonable accommodations as needed to help you vote.
Election officials must provide you with help if it’s possible for them to do so.
A voter with a mental disability cannot be turned away from the polls because a poll worker thinks they are not ‘qualified’ to vote.
What to do
You can bring a family member, friend, or another person of your choice to assist you at the polls. Do not bring your employer, or an agent of your employer or union.
If you bring a person to assist you, let the poll workers know that when you check in. They may ask you to swear under oath that you have a disability and that you have asked that person to help you. Your helper may also be required to sign a form swearing that they did not tell you how to vote.
If there are long lines and you have a physical or mental health condition or disability that makes it difficult for you to stand in line, tell a poll worker.
Tell election officials what you need. For example, if it’s hard for you to stand, they should provide you with a chair or a place to sit while you wait. If the crowds or noise are hard for you, election officials can find a quiet place for you to wait and call you when it’s your turn to vote.
If you are not able to enter your polling place because the pathway to it is not fully accessible, ask poll workers for curbside assistance. You can also call 1-866-OUR-VOTE to report the issue.
If you have difficulty using the materials provided to make your ballot selections, review, or cast your ballot, let a poll worker know and ask for the help you need. Accessibility is the law.
If you face any challenges in voting privately and independently or are unable to cast your vote, report the problem to the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained attorneys can assist you and make sure that other voters do not experience the same problem.
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Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing English may receive in-person assistance at the polls from the person of their choice. This person cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an agent or officer of the voter’s union.
What to do
You can bring a family member, friend, or other person of your choice to assist you at the polls. Do not bring your employer, or an agent of your employer or union.
If you have trouble voting due to lack of English fluency, call one of these hotlines:
Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683.
Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese): 1-888-API-VOTE / 1-888-274-8683
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It is illegal to interfere with elections by -
Aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other qualifications to vote.
Falsely representing oneself as an elections official.
Displaying false or misleading signs about voter fraud and related criminal penalties.
Other forms of harassment, like targeting non-English speakers and voters of color.
Spreading false information about voter requirements.
Remember -
You do not need to speak English to vote, in any state.
You do not need to pass a test to vote, in any state.
What to do if you have trouble voting
You can give a sworn statement to the poll worker that you satisfy the qualifications to vote in your state, and then proceed to cast a ballot.
Report intimidation to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).