KFTC Blog

President Donald Trump made a trip to Eastern Kentucky University on October 13, where he rallied supporters for Representati

On election day, Tuesday, Nov 6th, polls in Kentucky will be open 6am to 6pm.

Unconditional Early Voting isn't allowed in Kentucky (as it is in many states), but in most cases, if you won't be in the Kentucky county where you're registered to vote on election day, you can vote absentee.

To vote absentee, there are several hoops to jump through, so it's good to start early:

1. You have to be registered to vote and you have to know what county you're registered in.  You can check that at GoVoteKY.com

On September 22, the newly elected Steering Committee met in Berea for the first time since being elected to represent KFTC’s statewide leadership. Each year following the KFTC Annual Membership Meeting, the Steering Committee meets to review KFTC’s work and hold an orientation for incoming Steering Committee members.

However, the most valuable aspect of this meeting was Steering Committee representatives and alternates taking the opportunity to get to know each other and build community among grassroots leaders across the state. Steering Committee members lifted up that community building is critical for grassroots organizing that is rooted in a vision for the state.

During the orientation, members noted that the present political context requires more than organizing. It requires organizing and actions that are grounded in a vision that shapes the new kind of power KFTC members are working to build. As members reflected on KFTC’s vision statement, many drew direct connections between the vision and collective action.

Joy Fitzgerald of Shelby County noted that KFTC’s vision is “the foundation of our working democracy.”

Conner Allen of Jefferson County noted that KFTC’s vision is why folks across the state are inspired to join: “It’s a values statement and values are why we are here.”

Ezra Dike of Rowan County said KFTC’s vision is “a sales pitch and a unifying rallying cry.”

Other items the Steering Committee discussed included Racial Justice organizing, building an inclusive culture for KFTC youth leadership, KFTC’s fall fundraising campaign and the Sustaining Giver program, as well as hiring and staffing for 2019.

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.