Ghent, Kentucky Public Records

The registration deadline falls 29 days before any election. Applicants must provide either a valid Kentucky driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number, and first-time registrants may need to show proof of residency. As an unincorporated community, Ghent does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council since no incorporated municipal government exists. Instead, residents participate in Carroll County, state, and federal elections. County offices that typically appear on ballots include County Judge/Executive, County Clerk, Sheriff, Jailer, Property Valuation Administrator, and Coroner. Most county positions are elected in November of odd-numbered years in Kentucky. For state legislative races, voters elect representatives to the Kentucky House of Representatives, with the district varying between District 56 or 57 depending on precinct redistricting, and to the Kentucky State Senate for District 7. House members face election every two years while Senators serve four-year terms. Ghent voters can find their assigned polling place using the Kentucky State Board of Elections polling place locator at https://www.sos.ky.gov/elections/Pages/Polling-Locations.aspx by entering their address. Polling locations may be at a local school, community center, or fire station in or near the community. During the November 2024 presidential election, Carroll County reported voter turnout of approximately 60-65%, which aligned with statewide patterns across Kentucky and reflected the strong Republican support typical of rural Kentucky counties. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Ghent and Carroll County voters will decide several significant races. Kentucky does not hold gubernatorial elections in 2026 since the Governor was elected in 2023 for a four-year term. However, voters will elect the U.S. Senator for Kentucky's senior Senate seat, either Mitch McConnell or his successor, as this marks a regular Senate election year for that position. All six of Kentucky's U.S. House seats will be on the ballot, with Ghent situated in Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District. The entire Kentucky House of Representatives, comprising 100 seats, will be elected alongside half of the Kentucky State Senate. Carroll County constitutional offices may also appear on the ballot depending on term expiration schedules. Kentucky makes various election records available to the public. These include voter registration lists, available for political purposes with restrictions on commercial use, campaign finance reports filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance and searchable at https://kref.ky.gov/, candidate filings and ballot information through the Carroll County Clerk and State Board of Elections, and precinct-level election results published after each election. Kentucky offers absentee voting for voters who will be absent from the county on election day, those who are ill or disabled, students outside the county, or individuals with religious objections to appearing at the polls. Absentee ballot applications must be requested from the Carroll County Clerk by the Tuesday before the election for mail delivery. In-person absentee voting is available at the Carroll County Clerk's office beginning 21 days before the election. Kentucky has expanded early in-person voting in recent years, now offering three days of early voting on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before election day. No-excuse absentee voting is not available in Kentucky; voters must meet specific qualifying criteria to vote absentee.