Carter County, Kentucky
Carter County, Kentucky voter information: how to register, check your status, see your sample ballot and contact your local election office. Home to about 26,100 people, Carter County ranks 43rd in population among Kentucky's 120 counties. In Kentucky, the county clerk handles voter registration, absentee ballots and sample ballots, working with the county board of elections.
Next Election
May 18, 2027
Voter Portal
Register Online
What's On My Ballot?
ID Requirements
Absentee / Early Voting
Registration Deadline
Register at least 29 days before an election.
Why Voting Matters
Why does voting matter in Carter County? Because every eligible voter here has exactly the same power at the ballot box: one vote. The next election for Carter County voters is Kentucky's primary election on May 18, 2027, which includes statewide offices such as governor; local elections can come sooner, so check your local election office. Many Carter County jobs are in retail and manufacturing, so decisions about local businesses and manufacturing jobs hit close to home.
Carter County voters cast about 11,400 ballots for president in 2024, about the same as the 11,600 cast in 2020. Compared with the county's roughly 20,600 adult residents, that works out to about 55%, close to the statewide rate of about 57%.
Put another way, about 9,200 adults in Carter County sat that election out. Not all of them can vote, but if even 5% of them did, that would be roughly 460 more ballots, often more than the margin in races for local councils, school boards, the legislature or Congress.
With about 64 residents per square mile over 410 square miles, Carter County is a place where neighbors often know their local officials. The county is home to about 0.6% of Kentucky's population.
ZIP codes in or partly in Carter County include 40351, 41121, 41132, 41141, 41142, 41143, 41144 and 41146, plus 7 more. Confirm your registration, read through your sample ballot before Election Day, and choose whether you will vote early, by mail or in person. Invite someone you know in Carter County to join you.
Voter Assistance Resources
Local election help in Carter County: In Kentucky, the county clerk handles voter registration, absentee ballots and sample ballots, working with the county board of elections. For registration, polling places, early voting and absentee ballots, contact the Carter County clerk.
Direct link, Kentucky State Board of Elections county clerk contacts:
https://elect.ky.gov/contactcountyclerks/Pages/C.aspx
Statewide directory, Kentucky State Board of Elections' county clerk contacts:
https://elect.ky.gov/Voters/Pages/default.aspx
See your sample ballot. Kentucky State Board of Elections voter page (your county clerk posts sample ballots):
https://elect.ky.gov/Voters/Pages/default.aspx
You can also preview a personalized ballot at Vote411.org.
Free, nonpartisan help is available before and on every Election Day: call or text the Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682). Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).
Voters with disabilities in Carter County can ask for an accessible voting machine, curbside voting where offered, and help from a person of their choice. If you run into barriers, contact Kentucky Protection & Advocacy, Kentucky's Protection and Advocacy agency, at (800) 372-2988. VoteRiders (844-338-8743) offers free help with voter ID.
Need a ride? Many local transit agencies and ride services offer free or discounted rides to the polls on Election Day, so check what is available before the next election. See our Kentucky voter page for statewide options. Details can change, so confirm with the official election office.
Military and overseas voters can get help from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or fvap.gov.
Sign up to be an election worker
Election workers (often called poll workers) keep voting running smoothly in Carter County. Most are paid for their time, get free training, and help their neighbors cast their ballots. You can work a full day, a shorter shift, or help before Election Day. County and municipal election offices recruit and train their own workers, and the EAC's Help America Vote page links to yours. Find out how to sign up:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
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