2026 Voter Guide

• The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state. 
  • Kentucky has a total of 2 Senators in the US Senate. Each of these seats is up for re-election in 2026. 
• Senators must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent.
• Senators serve six-year terms which are staggered so that about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years. 
• The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and may cast the decisive vote in the event of a tie in the Senate.
• The Senate has the sole power to confirm those of the President’s appointments that require consent, and to ratify treaties. There are, however, two exceptions to this rule: The House must also approve appointments to the Vice Presidency as well as any treaty that involves foreign trade. The Senate also tries impeachment cases for federal officials referred to it by the House.
• In order to pass legislation and send it to the President for his signature, both the House and the Senate must pass the same bill by majority vote. If the President vetoes a bill, they may override his veto by passing the bill again in each chamber with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor. (The White House)

• The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. 
  • Kentucky has a total of 6 members in the US House of Representatives. Each of these representatives is up for re-election in 2026. 
  • In addition, there are 6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other territories of the United States: American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. 
• Members of the House must be 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state (but not necessarily the district) they represent. 
• Members of the House are elected every two years.
• The House has several powers assigned exclusively to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an electoral college tie.
• The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, elected by the Representatives. They are third in the line of succession to the Presidency. Members of the House are elected every two years and must be 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state (but not necessarily the district) they represent. The House has several powers assigned exclusively to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an Electoral College tie. (The White House)

The Kentucky State Senate is the upper chamber of the Kentucky General Assembly. Alongside the Kentucky House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Kentucky state government and works alongside the governor of Kentucky to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Kentucky State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes. The Kentucky State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky. (Ballotpedia)

The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Kentucky General Assembly. Alongside the Kentucky State Senate, it forms the legislative branch of the Kentucky state government and works alongside the governor of Kentucky to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Kentucky House of Representatives include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes. The Kentucky House of Representatives meets in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky. (Ballotpedia)

• The Supreme Court of Kentucky is the court of last resort and the final interpreter of state law. It consists of seven justices who are elected from the seven appellate districts and serve eight-year terms. 
• The Chief Justice of the Commonwealth is chosen by their colleagues and serves a term of four years. The justices, as a panel, hear appeals of decisions from the lower courts and issue decisions or “opinions” on cases. A case, which comes before the Supreme Court, is not retried. Attorneys with written briefs and oral arguments addressing the legal issues, which the Court must decide, present the case to the Supreme Court. Cases involving the ​death penalty, life imprisonment or imprisonment for twenty years or more go directly from the circuit court level, where the cases are tried, to the Supreme Court for review as ​a matter of right. The Supreme Court is also responsible for establishing rules of practice and procedures for the Court of Justice, which includes the conduct of judges and attorneys.​ (Kentucky Court of Justice)

• The Court of Appeals is exactly what its title implies. Nearly all cases come to it on appeal from a lower court. If a case is tried in District or Circuit court, and the losing parties involved are not satisfied with the outcome, they may ask for a higher court to review the correctness of the trial court’s decision. Some cases, like criminal case acquittals and divorces, may not be appealed. In a divorce case, however, child custody and property rights decisions may be appealed. Cases are not retried in the Court of Appeals. Only the record of the original court trial is reviewed, with attorneys presenting the legal issues to the court for a decision. 
• Fourteen judges, two elected from seven appellate court districts, serve on the Court of Appeals. The judges are divided into panels of three to review and decide cases, with the majority determining the decision. The panels do not sit permanently in one location, but travel about the state to hear cases. (Kentucky Court of Appeals)

• Family Court was created in 1991 as a pilot program and it focuses solely on the needs of families and children. Later, in 2022, Kentucky voters passed a constitutional amendment that made family court a permanent part of the Kentucky Constitution. Family Court is involved in the most intimate and complex aspects of human nature and social relations. For that reason, Family Court uses a case management process that distinguishes it from other trial courts. 
• Family Court uses a One Family, One Judge, One Court approach, and cases are presented in a single court, allowing the same judge to hear all matters involving a particular family. As a division of Circuit Court, which is the highest trial court in Kentucky, Family Court employs full-time judges with the same qualifications as those who serve the other divisions of Circuit Court. In addition to the family matters heard in Circuit Court, Family Court judges also handle family law matters that were traditionally decided in District Court. Family Court jurisdiction is defined by KRS 23A.100 and 23A.110 and includes the following:
  • Dissolution of marriage
  • Spousal support and equitable
  • Distribution
  • Child custody, support and visitation
  • Paternity, adoption
  • Domestic violence
  • Dependency, neglect and abuse
  • Termination of parental rights
  • Status Offenses (runaways, truancy, beyond control) (Kentucky Family Court)

• District Court is the court of limited jurisdiction and handles juvenile matters, city and county ordinances, misdemeanors, violations, traffic offenses, probate of wills, arraignments, felony probable cause hearings, small claims involving $2,500 or less, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, voluntary and involuntary mental commitments and cases relating to domestic violence and abuse. 
• District judges serve four-year terms. (Kentucky District Court)

• Commonwealth’s Attorney is the title given to the elected prosecutor of felony crimes in Kentucky. In carrying out their duties, prosecutors have the authority to investigate persons, grant immunity to witnesses and accused criminals, and plea bargain with defendants. (Kentucky Commonwealth Attorneys Association).
• Click here to find the Commonwealth Attorney in your county.