KRS § 117.145 Preparation of ballot labels, absentee ballots, voter affirmations, election official affirmations, federal provisional ballots, and paper ballots -- Provision for write-in votes.
AI-assisted research summary: County clerks must print and prepare various ballots and related forms, and must supply write-in materials before in-person voting.
117.145 Preparation of ballot labels, absentee ballots, voter affirmations, election official affirmations, federal provisional ballots, and paper ballots -- Provision for write-in votes. (1) At least forty-five (45) days before any special election, and at least fifty (50) days before any primary or regular election, the county clerk of each county shall cause to be printed and ready for use ballots listing each candidate who, and each question which, is entitled to be voted upon in such primary or election. The ballots shall be printed on clear white paper or other material, in black ink, in plain, clear type clearly legible to a person with normal vision, and shall include the necessary party designations. The quality of the paper and the size of the ballots shall be established by the State Board of Elections in administrative regulations promulgated in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A. (2) Each county clerk shall have printed a sufficient number of paper absentee ballots, voter affirmations, and election official affirmations. The ballots shall be consecutively numbered and the county board shall keep a record, by number, of all absentee ballots used for any of the purposes listed in this subsection. (3) Each county clerk shall have printed a sufficient number of federal provisional ballots, which, except for the candidates listed, shall have the same form as the absentee ballots. A federal provisional ballot shall indicate that the ballot is a federal provisional ballot. The federal provisional ballot stubs shall be consecutively numbered, and the county board of elections shall keep a record, by number, of all federal provisional ballots used for votes cast by provisional voters in federal elections. (4) Each county clerk shall have printed a sufficient number of paper ballots to be used for voting for any primary or election. The methods of securing the integrity of the ballots from the time of certification of each candidate and each question to be voted upon in any primary or election until the conclusion of the primary or election, and the method of tracking all voted, unvoted, or spoiled ballots shall be established by the State Board of Elections in administrative regulations promulgated in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A. (5) On the day before any in-person voting shall occur, the county clerk shall equip the voting equipment with the necessary supplies for the purpose of write-in votes. The county clerk shall also provide a pencil, pen, or ballot marking device for the voting equipment for write-in purposes. (6) If supplemental paper ballots have been approved as provided in KRS 118.215, the county clerk shall cause to be printed a sufficient number of supplemental paper ballots for the registered voters of each precinct. The supplemental paper ballots shall have stubs which are numbered consecutively. Effective: April 14, 2026 History: Amended 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 175, sec. 4, effective April 14, 2026. -- Amended 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 197, sec. 20, effective June 29, 2021. -- Amended 2020 Ky. Acts ch. 89, sec. 11, effective July 15, 2020. -- Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 296, sec. 3, effective July 14, 1992. -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 48, sec. 23, effective July 13, 1990. -- Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 470, sec. 12, effective July 15, 1986. -- Amended 1984 Ky. Acts ch. 44, sec. 4, effective March 2, 1984; and ch. 185, sec. 8, effective July 13, 1984. -- Amended 1976 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 1, sec. 3, effective March 19, 1977. -- Created 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 130, sec. 28, effective June 21, 1974.