What’s changed about this election?

What’s changed about this election?

[This post was updated on May 24, 2020 after the online application for the absentee ballot and an official copy of the ballot for Shelby County became available.]

This year’s primary election will function differently than any other in recent history, just as much of our lives have changed dramatically in the fast several months. Because of the changes made in an effort to ensure the health of the average voter, we wanted to provide a one-stop-location of all pertinent details of the changes to June’s primary election. 

What has changed?

Two things: one, the election was moved from May 19th to June 23rd, and two, the votes will primarily be cast by mail-in ballot. 

On March 16, 2020, upon recommendation from Secretary of State Michael Adams, Governor Andy Beshear signed Executive Order 202-236 which delayed the election from May 19th to June 23rd. On April 24, 2020, Gov. Beshear, again acting on the recommendation from Sec. Adams signed Executive Order 202-296, which authorizes and implores Kentuckians to vote by absentee ballot — essentially, vote by mail. 

Why did the state government make changes to the election?

By and large, the changes that were implemented were designed to ensure that people could safely vote in this primary without fear of contracting COVID-19. 

How do I vote in this election?

Voters have a few options when choosing how to vote in the upcoming election. Reminder: Kentucky has a closed primary system, which means that only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary, just as only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary.

1. If you want to vote by mail, you must request an absentee ballot. The online application for a ballot is now available. Click here to apply. According to a May 15 Sentinel-News article, anyone who wants to vote-by-mail must apply for a ballot through a secure online portal being created by the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office. Ballots WILL NOT be mailed to every registered voter, only those who apply for one. Once you’ve received and filled out your ballot, you will mail it back to the County Clerk’s office. The returned ballot and envelope MUST be signed for the vote to be counted. A committee will review the signatures on the ballots and ensure they match the signatures recorded on the voter registration card. The committee members are County Clerk Sue Carole Perry, Shelby County Sheriff Mark Moore, one registered Democrat, and one registered Republican.

2. If you want to vote in person on the day of the election, you can go to one of the planned polling places. According to the same article by the Sentinel-News, there are four polling places: downtown Shelbyville and Simpsonville, and on the east and west sides of the county. This will likely not be the same place you usually vote. 

3. If you want to vote in person, but before election day, you can make an appointment with the County Clerk’s office to vote between June 8th and June 23rd. The Shelby County Clerk’s office is reachable by phone at (502) 633-4410 from 8:30–4:30 Monday–Friday, and until 6 on Thursdays.

How do I register to vote?

You can register to vote online. The deadline for a first-time registration is 4 PM on May 26th. 

Who is running in this election?

There are several major races up this election: [This post was updated once an official ballot for Shelby County was published. View the ballot here.] [Clicking on the candidate’s name will take you to their campaign website, if applicable.]

President of the United States
(In ballot order, not alphabetical. Names appear as they are on the ballot.)

Republican Primary: Donald Trump (incumbent) and “Uncommitted”

Democratic Primary: (All but Joseph R. Biden have suspended their campaigns.) Pete Buttigieg, John Delaney, Joseph R. Biden, Tom Steyer, Tulsi Gabbard, Michael Bennet, Michael R. Bloomberg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Andrew Yang, Elizabeth Warren, and “Uncommitted”

United States Senator
(In ballot order, not alphabetical. Names appear as they are on the ballot.)

Republican Primary: Louis Grider, Naren James, Kenneth Lowndes, Mitch McConnell (incumbent), C. Wesley Morgan, Nicholas Alsager, Wendell K. Crow, and Paul John Frangedakis

Democratic Primary: Maggie Jo Hilliard, Andrew J. Maynard, Amy McGrath, Eric Rothmuller, John R. Sharpensteen, Bennie J. Smith, Mary Ann Toobin, Jimmy C. Ausbrooks, Charles Booker, and Mike Broihier.

United States Representative in Congress
Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District:

Republican Primary: Thomas Massie (incumbent) and Todd McMurtry

Democratic Primary: Shannon Fabert and Alexandra Owensby

Kentucky House of Representatives
58th Legislative District:

Republican Primary: Jennifer Henson Decker, Dorothy Coverston Higgins, and Chris Kleymeyer

The Democratic candidate, Will Barnett, is running unopposed.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

While we will do our best to find an answer to any question asked of us — we are librarians, after all — the best place to find answers for questions about the election is the Shelby County Clerk’s Office. They are reachable by phone at (502) 633-4410 from 8:30–4:30 Monday–Friday, and until 6 on Thursdays. 


Mason Warren

Written by Mason Warren.

Mason Warren is the Public Relations Coordinator at the Shelby County Public Library. He has worked at the Library since 2016 and is a graduate of Martha Layne Collins High School (2018) and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication at the University of Louisville. Mason serves on the Board of Directors at the Shelby County Community Theatre and is the chair of the Marketing Committee and a member of the Artistic Committee. In his spare time, Mason enjoys photography and spending time with his two dogs, Baxter and Molly.

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