To register and vote in Kentucky, one needs to be at least 18 years old by Election Day (Tuesday, November 6), you have to live in Kentucky (temporary student housing works), and you have to be a U.S. citizen.
Those are the basics, but things get a little trickier in Kentucky because our criminal justice system plays an unusual role in taking away people's right to vote.
People with felonies in their past – Can't (generally) Vote.
Kentucky disenfranchises people with felonies in their past and is harsher than almost any state in the US in that regard. People can request their rights be restored after they've served their time through this form, but few people know about the process and Governor Bevin denies many requests. People who have had their record expunged of felonies can also vote. KFTC's long-term goal is to change Kentucky's Constitution so that people get the right to vote back when they've served their debt to society including prison time, probation, and parole, but for now, this remains a barrier for over 312,000 Kentuckians.
People with misdemeanors in their past – Can Vote!
If someone has a misdemeanor in ther past, that doesn't stop them from voting in Kentucky. Many people in this situation may have been told that they can't register and vote, but they absolutely can
People currently in jail serving for a misdemeanor – Can't Vote
This disenfranchisement comes from section 145 of the Kentucky Constitution along with felony disenfranchisement.
People serving probation and parole for a misdemeanor – Can Vote!
Even though you're still serving your time, there's nothing stopping you from registering and voting in this case.
People in jails pre-trial who were charged with either a felony or a misdemeanor – Can Vote!
If you're in jail because you're awaiting trial or sentencing for any offense (and you've never been convicted of a felony), you do have the right to vote. That's a big deal, because in many Kentucky jails about 70% of the population is pre-trial.
"I've lived a lot of places in my life," says KFTC member and new former felon spokesperson Jim Shepherd. "All over the U.S., really; but my family is from Hazard, I've lived here for the last five years, and I'm planning on staying."