HB 855 — AN ACT relating to persons entitled to vote.

Summary

Amend KRS 116.025 to permit voters 16 and 17 years of age to vote in local school board elections upon local approval by a school board; create a new section of KRS Chapter 116 to require county clerks to administer the registration and voting of persons 16 and 17 years of age; allow voters who are 16 and 17 years of age to receive ballots limited to school board contests; require the State Board of Elections to promulgate administrative regulations to establish the procedure for persons 16 and 17 years of age to register and vote for school board elections.

Bill Text

• Introduced View text Current pdf

Compared against the Kentucky Revised Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill amends KRS 116.025 to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections under certain conditions.

• KRS 116.025

  regular[general] → general

  The term 'regular' in the context of elections is clarified by retaining 'general' to reflect both types of elections.

• KRS 116.025

  A person who is sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age on the date of the election for which the person seeks to vote may vote only in elections for members of a school board, upon adoption of a resolution by a majority of the members of that district's school board delivered to the county clerk and State Board of Elections at least three hundred sixty-five (365) days prior to the regular election in which expanded suffrage is to take effect, provided that the person: (a) Is a resident of the school district in which the election is held; (b) Meets the residency requirements otherwise applicable to voters under Kentucky law; (c) Is a citizen of the United States of America; (d) Has registered in the manner described in KRS 116.045 and in accordance with administrative regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections; and (e) Is not otherwise disqualified from voting pursuant to the Constitution of Kentucky or applicable statutes.

  Establishes a new voting eligibility for 16 and 17-year-olds in school board elections under specific conditions.

• County clerks shall administer the registration and voting of persons sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) years of age who are eligible under Section 1 of this Act using existing polling locations, but may use separate election procedures and registration systems.

  Mandates county clerks to manage voting and registration for eligible 16 and 17-year-olds at existing polling places.

• Voters who are sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) years of age are to receive ballots limited to school board contests.

  Limits the ballots for 16 and 17-year-old voters to school board elections only.

• The State Board of Elections shall promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A as necessary for the administration of this section.

  Assigns the responsibility to the State Board of Elections to create regulations for implementing the new voting provisions.

Action History

1. March 10, 2026

   to Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)

2. March 03, 2026

   to Committee on Committees (H)

3. March 03, 2026

   introduced in House

Sponsors

• Sarah Stalker · Primary
• Beverly Chester-Burton · Primary
• George Brown Jr. · Primary
• Anne Gay Donworth · Primary
• Rachel Roarx · Primary

Subjects