Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is reminding Kentuckians the deadline to change your party affiliation for the Primary Election or to run for office as a member of a different party in 2019 is December 31st.
Next year, Grimes notes Kentuckians will go to the polls to elect statewide officers, including Governor and Lieutenant Governor. She adds this is an important deadline if you are considering a party affiliation change and want to participate in next year’s May Primary.
Under Kentucky law, to be qualified to vote in a partisan Primary Election, a voter must have been a member of that part on December 31 of the prior year or a new voter who has not changed their affiliation. Grimes says voters who change party affiliation after the December 31 deadline are not eligible to vote in partisan races in the Primary Election.
The December 31 deadline also affects prospective candidates in the 2019 elections. To be qualified as a party or independent candidate in a regular election, Grimes says a candidate’s registration status generally must be established by December 31 of the prior year, per Kentucky law.
Registration forms submitted by mail, in person, or electronically must be received by the county clerk by December 31st.
Voters can change or update their registration at Kentucky’s one-stop online voter portal, GoVoteKy.com.