KENTUCKY — Many schools across Kentucky are expected to close next week as voters head to the polls for the state’s 2026 primary election on Tuesday, May 19.
Kentucky’s primary election will determine which candidates advance to the Nov. 3 general election ballot in races for U.S. Senate, Congress, the Kentucky General Assembly and numerous local offices. State election officials say polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. across the commonwealth.
Because many Kentucky schools are used as polling locations, districts across the state traditionally cancel classes on Election Day or adjust schedules to accommodate voters and improve campus security. School officials say the closures help reduce traffic and allow election workers to safely operate polling places inside school buildings.
Several Kentucky districts have already announced closures or schedule changes for May 19. In northern Kentucky, Fort Thomas Independent Schools reversed earlier plans to hold classes on Election Day and announced students will now have the day off following concerns about voter access and campus traffic.
Kentucky lawmakers previously approved legislation allowing schools to remain open on some election days, but many districts continue choosing to close campuses when schools serve as voting sites.
Election officials are encouraging voters to confirm polling locations and review sample ballots before heading to the polls next week.
