Sitka, Kentucky Public Records

Kentucky voters can register online through the State Board of Elections portal at https://elect.ky.gov/registertovote, though registration must be completed at least 29 days before any election. A valid Kentucky driver's license or state ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number, is required. In-person registration is also available at the Johnson County Clerk's office or various state agencies. Because Sitka is unincorporated, there are no municipal elections for mayor or city council. Instead, residents vote in county, state, and federal contests. Johnson County voters elect numerous county officials including County Judge/Executive, Sheriff, County Clerk, Jailer, Property Valuation Administrator, County Attorney, Coroner, Surveyor, and Magistrates for fiscal court districts. These county positions typically appear on the ballot in odd-numbered years, with the next major county elections scheduled for November 2026. Residents can find their assigned polling place through the Kentucky State Board of Elections website at https://elect.ky.gov/Resources/Pages/Polling-Locations.aspx or by contacting the Johnson County Clerk. Polling locations depend on precinct assignment, and voters receive notification cards before elections. Kentucky law - specifically KRS 116 and KRS 117 - establishes that most election records are public. This includes voter registration lists (with certain personal information redacted), campaign finance reports filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance at https://kref.ky.gov, candidate filing information, precinct-level election results, and absentee ballot statistics. The Johnson County Clerk maintains these records and provides copies upon request. During the November 2024 presidential election, Johnson County saw strong turnout with over 60% of registered voters participating, consistent with Johnson County's pattern of participation in presidential contests and the strong Republican support typical of Eastern Kentucky's conservative political scene. The November 3, 2026 election represents a critical midterm for Kentucky voters. While U.S. Senate seats from Kentucky are not up that year (Senator Rand Paul's seat comes up in 2028, Senator Mitch McConnell's in 2026 if he seeks re-election or his seat becomes open), voters will elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including the representative for Kentucky's 5th Congressional District covering Johnson County and Sitka. All 100 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives and half of the Kentucky State Senate (odd-numbered districts) will be contested, including the state representative and senator who represent Sitka's legislative districts. Johnson County offices including Sheriff, County Clerk, Jailer, and magistrates will also appear on the ballot. Voters should check with the Johnson County Clerk's office or the State Board of Elections closer to the election for confirmed candidate lists and ballot measures. Kentucky offers absentee voting for voters meeting specific criteria: age 65 or older, illness or disability, out-of-county residents (students, military), voters whose employment hours prevent in-person voting, and those with religious objections to voting on Election Day. Absentee ballot applications can be downloaded from https://elect.ky.gov or requested from the Johnson County Clerk. Applications must be submitted by the Tuesday before the election, or the first Monday in November for mail-in ballots. The state also offers early in-person voting at the Johnson County Clerk's office and designated satellite locations during the period before Election Day. Sitka voters should contact the Johnson County Clerk at (606) 789-2505 for specific early voting dates and locations for upcoming elections.