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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thousands of people in Kentucky voted in-person for the general election, as early voting opened Tuesday morning.

Four early voting locations are open in Jefferson County. Lines started by 7 a.m. outside the Louisville Marriott East. But when polls opened at 8:30 a.m., it didn't take long for the line of people to get through the process.

Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams made his way through the line in 30 minutes, saying the wait was nothing compared to waiting three and a half hours on election day four years ago.

"I had about five or six people that came up to me. They recognized me from the top half of my face, I guess, and they thanked me so profusely for making this so easy, so safe and so convenient in a way that it's never been before," Adams says.

Because of COVID-19, Kentucky gave voters the option for early in-person voting in an attempt to avoid long, crowded rooms on election day. Across the state, every county has at least one location for early voting. Most have more.

In Jefferson County — the Louisville Marriott East, the Kentucky Exposition Center, the KFC Yum! Center and the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage are open for voting. They'll be open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. until election day.

No excuse absentee ballots were an option for every voter in Kentucky, but hundreds of voters chose to line up to vote in person.

"I've always voted in person, and I think it's the patriotic thing to do, and if I can do it, I want to do it that way," says Jan Kempf.

Ray Weis agrees, "I don't want to take any chances of anything happening and not being able to get here. I think it's way too important."

Tuesday, protesters gathered outside the KFC Yum! Center to encourage people to vote. Protesters also took time to cast their ballot. 

"This is exciting because we have some first time voters. We have a 26-year-old that voted for their very first time and then we also have a 40-year-old that voted for their very first time," Erica Bowman, with the protest group, said.  Every vote does count. So please don't let anybody tell you that it doesn't." 

The Jefferson County Election Center says about 175,000 people requested a mail-in ballot and about 30,000 of those are still being processed and will be sent out this week.

If you plan vote in person, know that social distancing is in place. Voting booths are placed six feet apart, hand sanitizer is waiting to be used, and more than 1,500 ballot styles are on the table ready to be handed out to voters.

Nore Ghibaudy, with the Jefferson County Clerk's Office, says residents can vote at any of the four locations and says he does not expect long wait times.

Election officials say before walking through the doors voters will need to have a mask and photo ID in hand. Expired drivers licenses will be accepted.

Ghibaudy said once voters show their ID, they will be given a slip of paper that will tell them where they need to stand in line to get their ballot from an election officer.

If you requested a mail-in ballot, you can also drop them off at the early voting sites, as well as the County Clerk Election Center.

In Louisville, registered voters can cast their ballots at four locations between Tuesday and Nov. 2:

  • Kentucky Exposition Center: 937 Phillips Lane - Fairgrounds North Wing. Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting Oct. 13 through Nov. 2.
  • KFC Yum! Center - Foyer: Main & second streets. Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting Oct. 13 through Nov. 2.
  • Kentucky Center for African American Heritage: 1701 West Muhammad Ali Blvd. Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting Oct. 13 through Nov. 2.
  • Louisville Marriott East - Commonwealth Ballroom: 1903 Embassy Square Blvd. Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting Oct. 13 through Nov. 2.

Voters can also drop off mail-in ballots at those locations and the County Clerk Election Center at 701 W. Ormsby Ave. from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each weekday from now through Nov. 2.

There will be at least one early voting location in each county in Kentucky, but hours vary.

Oldham County

Sojourn Church North: 12001 W. Hwy 42, Goshen, KY 40026

  • Oct. 13 - 17
    • Tuesday 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
    • Wednesday & Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
    • Thursday 8 a.m. - 6 a.m.
    • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

South Oldham Government Center: 6710 W. Hwy 146, Crestwood, KY 40014

  • Oct. 19 - 24
    • Monday, Thursday & Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
    • Tuesday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Wednesday 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
    • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Oldham County Clerk's Office: 100 W. Jefferson St., La Grange, KY 40031

  • Oct. 13 - Nov. 2
    • Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
    • Tuesday 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. 
    • Thursday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. 
    • Saturday, Oct. 31 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Hardin County

Hardin County Clerk's Office: 150 N. Provident Way, Suite 103, Elizabethtown, KY 42701

  • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
  • Saturday 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. 

Nelson County

Nelson County Library: 201 Cathedral Manor, Bardstown, KY 40004

  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
  • Thursday 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Shelby County

Stratton Community Center: 215 Washington St., Shelbyville, KY 40065

  • Monday - Friday 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Bullitt County

Paroquet Springs Conference Center: 395 Paroquet Springs Dr., Shepherdsville, KY 40165

  • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
  • Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Spencer County

Old Vocational Building: 80 E. Main St., Taylorsville, KY 40071

  • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Henry County

Henry County Clerk's Office: 27 S. Property Rd. New Castle, KY 40050

  • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. 
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Grayson County

Grayson County Courthouse: 10 Public Square, Leitchfield, KY 42754

  • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
  • Saturday 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. 

LaRue County

LaRue County Courthouse: 209 W. High St., Hodgenville, KY 42748

  • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Trimble County

Trimble County Courthouse: 30 HWY 42 E., Bedford, KY 40006

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
  • Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Meade County

Meade County Board of Election Building: 516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 10, Brandenburg, KY 40108

  • Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Breckinridge County

Courthouse (Basement): 208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143

  • Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Carroll County

Carroll County Clerk's Office: 440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. 
  • Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

Locations for other counties, and other useful information, can be found at the Secretary of State's website.

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