Illustration by Simon Thach

Kentucky is one of 13 states that requires closed primary elections, only allowing voters to cast their ballot for the elections that correlate with their registered party.

Kentuckians who are registered Republicans will only be able to vote in the Republican primary, and Kentuckians who are registered Democrats will only be able to vote in the Democratic primary. 

Jasmine Farrier, a professor of political science at the University of Louisville, said before the primaries, voters should check their registration, as well as check the ballot that correlates with their specific address.

Ballots vary within counties because county districts have their own council members, some of whom’s positions are up for election, according to Farrier.

In the upcoming U.S. Senate primary, voters will be constrained to voting within their registered party. Registered independent voters cannot vote in the Kentucky Democratic or Republican Senate primary elections and will have to wait until November to cast their vote. 

According to Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, independents are the fastest growing party affiliation in the commonwealth.

Although the deadline to change party affiliation passed for Kentucky voters in December 2025, some races are nonpartisan, so voters will be able to participate in those primaries regardless of registration.

“The ballot in Kentucky will look differently for every precinct depending upon who’s up for election in that specific area,” Farrier said. 

The systems set in place for primary elections adds an additional layer regarding voting in the state, according to Farrier, who said an informed voter must be aware of these rules.

With different states across the country holding different types of primaries, Farrier said voter education can be complicated, since different states around the country have different rules and systems for their elections.

The inconsistencies across elections make voter education all the more important, Farrier said, it is crucial for voters to be aware of what restrictions are in place that could impact how they participate and how the elections function overall.