BREAKING: Kentucky alters some of its election rules for the (delayed) June 23 primary. Some details:

1. EVERY voter may vote via absentee ballot. KY law currently requires an excuse to vote absentee. Any voter can now check "medical emergency" as the reason, citing COVID-19.

2. Absentee ballot requests or ballots need not have a notarized signature.

3. There will be early in-person voting for up to two weeks before Election Day (starting June 8) for those who must vote in person. Voters will be able to make an appointment to vote early in person.

4. There will be limited in-person voting on Election Day. Again, voters can make an appointment. Counties are directed to adopt drive-through voting where they can. Goal is to minimize contact between poll workers and voters as much as possible.

5. Counties can reduce some in-person voting sites and can consider Vote Centers. Hope and goal is that most voters will use mail-in process. In-person voting must follow CDC guidelines. Counties can use drive-in voting so poll workers don't come into contact with voters.

6. There will be an online portal for voters to request an absentee ballot. Requests must be made by June 16, which is one week before Election Day. Voters can also request absentee ballots through normal means (phone, email, etc.)

7. Absentee ballots must be received by poll closing time on Election Day. BUT ballots postmarked by Election Day but arriving within three days after Election Day will count. (I'm pushing them to extend this to received even later, which they are considering).

8. There will be a signature mismatch process if a voter's signature on the ballot does not match the signature on file from the voter's registration. The signature mismatch process must be completed by three days after the election (I'm also pushing to extend this date).

9. The State Board of Elections will create a process to track absentee ballots requested, sent, and received. The absentee ballot envelope (not the ballot itself) would have a barcode to track the ballot transmission.

10. Every voter will receive a postcard with info on how to request an absentee ballot, including the URL of the new online portal. Although I had hoped they would send the absentee ballot request form to every voter, this will reduce costs and direct voters to the website.

11. Any postcards that are kicked back as undeliverable will be used for voter registration list maintenance.

12. Counties can begin processing and counting absentee ballots on June 1, but may not release any totals until June 23 (Election Day).

13. This is a bipartisan agreement between @KYSecState and @GovAndyBeshear. They should be commended to working together in a collaborative way to make it easier for Kentuckians to vote. State Board of Elections will promulgate final regs to implement this process.

Here is the official guidance: https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=139. /end