Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Queer Kentucky Votes

Voting is harm reduction.

Your deadlines, your ballot and our 2026 Queer Election Guide, built for LGBTQ+ Kentuckians.

The 2026 Queer Election GuideSwipe the slides Next deadlineSee all upcoming dates Check your registrationGoVote.ky.gov What’s on my ballotOur People Our Vote Trans voter IDYour ID, your vote Problem at the polls?Call 866-OUR-VOTE

The 2026 Queer Election Guide

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Download the full guide (PDF)

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    Early voting hours and locations vary by county. Your county clerk has the details.

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    Check your boxes

    New in 2026 · Louisville and Jefferson County

    No D or R next to your mayor and Metro Council candidates

    For the first time, Louisville’s races for mayor and Metro Council are nonpartisan. A 2024 state law, House Bill 388, took party labels off these races. The May 19 primary was the first one run this way, and the top two candidates in each race moved on to the Nov. 3 election.

    What that means when you vote:

    • Names only. In the races for mayor and Metro Council, your ballot shows candidates’ names with no party next to them.
    • Other races still show party. U.S. Senate, U.S. House, the state legislature and county offices like sheriff, county clerk and county attorney still list each candidate’s party on the same ballot.
    • Look them up before you go. Candidates can still talk about their party while they campaign. It just won’t be printed on your ballot.
    • Read your ballot all the way through. These races are easy to skip.

    Why these races matter: your mayor and Metro Council decide whether police get surveillance tools like Flock cameras, what’s in the city budget, and how the city works with ICE. Some of the decisions that touch queer Louisvillians most get made by the people in these seats.

    Do your homework: pull your sample ballot, look up your races with Our People Our Vote, and read candidates’ answers on VOTE411.

    Trans and nonbinary voters: your ID, your vote

    You have the right to vote. Your gender identity or how you look doesn’t change that. Here’s what Kentucky asks for at the polls.

    Get help. Get involved.

    Voting is the floor, not the work. Here’s where to turn if something goes wrong, and how to help other Kentuckians vote.

    Sources: Election Protection (866ourvote.org), administered by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Common Ground Kentucky.

    Know your local offices

    Harm reduction happens closest to home. What the seats further down your ballot actually do, and why they matter.

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    Queer Kentucky is a nonprofit newsroom

    We’re the only dedicated LGBTQ+ newsroom in Kentucky, and our election coverage is nonpartisan. We don’t endorse candidates or parties. This page updates every election season so queer Kentuckians always have what they need to vote.

    Next up: the 2027 General Assembly. See our preview

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