Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said via Twitter that he expects turnout for the primary election to be low and unofficial numbers from his office show that early voting numbers are down from both elections last year.
“Total turnout at this point last year for absentee ballots, excused in-person absentee and early voting was 116,342; this year we’re at 88,838, about a 24% decrease,” Adams Tweeted of the unofficial numbers released from his office.
Michon Lindstrom, the communications director for Adams, said they expect voter turnout to be low.
“We are still thinking about 10-15% turnout,” Lindstrom said.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation in 2021 that, among other things, provided six days of absentee voting and three days of early voting.
Overall, 6,606 people voted early in Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties. This is down from 25,787 in the fall midterm elections.
Here is the breakdown of early voting numbers in Northern Kentucky counties.
Excused in person allows voters to contact their clerk and arrange to vote in person on a specially denoted day because they can’t make it to vote for whatever reason or an excuse.
No excuse in person is three extra voting days that allow voters to cast their ballots, not on Election Day. They probably have an excuse, such as they have to work, but they’re not required to give one. They can show up and vote; nothing has to be prearranged.
Remaining mail-in ballots can still be received until 6 p.m. on May 16. The votes will be officially counted once the polls close at that time. These stats are just the registered voters that showed up at the polls for early voting.
There are no independent votes. Under Kentucky law, independent voters can’t vote in primaries.
Boone County
Total early voters: 1,338
Mail-in voting
Ballots sent: 342. Ballots Returned: 247 or 72.22% ballots returned.Â
Democrats: 117 (47%) Republicans:130 (53%)
Excused in-person voting
Total: 140 Democrats: 35 (25%). Republicans: 105 (75%).
No excuse in person:
Total: 949. Democrats: 300 (32%). Republicans: 649 (68%).
There were two military ballots returned out of four sent.
Campbell County
Total early voters: 1,206
Mail-in voting
Ballots sent: 284. Ballots Returned: 200 or 70.42% of ballots returned.Â
Democrats: 96 (48%) Republicans:104 (52%)
Excused in-person voting
Total: 155 Democrats: 62 (40%). Republicans: 93 (60%).
No excuse in person:
Total: 850. Democrats: 338 (40%). Republicans: 512 (60%).
There was one military ballot returned of three sent.
Kenton County
Total early voters: 4,118
Mail-in voting
Ballots sent: 1,125 Ballots returned: 856 or 76.09%.
Democrats: 439 (51%)Republicans: 417 (49%)
Excused in-person voting
Total: 101 Democrats: 39 (39%) Republicans: 62 (61%)
No excuse in-person voting
Total: 3,157 Democrats: 1,219 (39%) Republicans: 1,938 (61%)
There were four military ballots returned out of seven.