Time To Vote In Kentucky

In a major win for democracy and voting rights here in Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and GOP Secretary of State Michael Adams announced at a joint press conference a deal to allow all Kentuckians concerned about COVID-19 to request ballots to vote by mail as soon at the end of next week.

Kentucky will not be using no-excuse absentee voting by mail for the upcoming Nov. 3 elections, Gov. Andy Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams announced Friday.

Unlike with the June 23 primaries, Kentucky's registered voters will have to provide a reason for why they need to vote by absentee ballot in November. Anyone concerned about their own health or compromising another persons' health can request an absentee ballot.

All ballots have to be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by county clerks by Nov. 6. County clerks will have drop-off boxes for anyone concerned about sending in their ballots by mail.

No-excuse early voting, which was permitted for the first time in June for two weeks leading up to Election Day for the June primaries, is included in Beshear's and Adams' plan for November.

Starting on Oct. 13, registered voters will have the option to cast their ballot early in-person for three weeks heading into Nov. 3. And while polls were open for early in-person voting Monday through Friday in June, this time around, they will also be open on Saturday.

Beshear, a Democrat, praised Adams, a Republican, for "putting ideology on the shelf."

"I don't really think that this was too much of a negotiation going back and forth (on Adams' plan)," Beshear said Friday. "I think we both wanted a successful election where we could protect people's health, and we believe will be one of the larger turnouts we've seen because of there are so many options to vote."

The online portal for requesting ballots should be up by August 21, Beshear said.  And three weeks of early voting, including Saturdays? That's just as amazing.

This is a good deal and I'm shocked by how good it is.
Hey, I fear COVID-19, I have several comorbidity issues, I'm requesting my ballot ASAP and voting and turning it in.

If you can do the same in your state, do it. Get that ballot, mail it in well before November 4th.