Early voting lines at Bowman Field

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The final countdown to Election Day is on as candidates made their final pitches to voters on Monday.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump held events in key battleground states that could determine who wins the presidency. 

A historic switch-up at the top of the Democratic ticket led Harris' team to run an accelerated campaign following President Joe Biden stepping out of the race. This is Trump's third time as the Republican nominee. 

According to the polls, the next president will be elected by a razor thin margin. Monday night, both the Harris and Trump campaigns pointed to encouraging signs they said show momentum going into Tuesday.

While Tuesday is Election Day, officials have said the winner of the 2024 presidential race may not be called on Election Night, as the process to count votes in key battleground states could take several days. 

There are seven battleground states, none with a bigger prize than Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes. That's where both candidates spent much of the last day on the campaign trail, making their pitches to voters. 

While Kentucky and Indiana are predicted to go for Trump by double digits, those battleground states will determine who wins the presidency. Harris is leading in the Real Clear Politics average in two of the states, Wisconsin and Michigan. Trump leads in five states, but the closest state of all is Pennsylvania, where he leads by just two-tenths of a point as of Monday night. 

Campaign officials from both sides are expressing optimism going into the election. 

There's also the balance of power on Capitol Hill. In the Republican-controlled House, all 435 seats are on the ballot. In the Democrat-controlled Senate, roughly a third of the 100 seats are up for grabs.

A presidential election historically means a higher voter turnout. The past three presidential elections were the highest in decades, and experts believe this year will be no different. 

The running still remains extremely close.

Early voting numbers

Early voting numbers in Indiana and Kentucky have shown that to be true. Voters on both sides of the river have already been hitting the polls ahead of Tuesday's election. 

Combined, more than two million ballots have already been cast in both states.

In the 2020 presidential election, about 2.1 million people voted, which is almost 40% of that turnout heading into Tuesday's election. 

Early voting in Indiana started Oct. 8. More than 1.5 million people cast their absentee ballots through Sunday. 

In-person, excused absentee voting in Kentucky began Oct. 23. The polls were open until Oct. 25, and then again from Oct. 28-30. No-excuse, early in-person voting started in Kentucky on Oct. 31.

Out of the 3.5 million registered voters in the Commonwealth, 792,000 voted early, meaning long lines at polling locations in Jefferson County, in particular, last week. 

At the Jefferson County Election Center on Monday, workers were going through absentee ballots, making sure they're ready to be counted on Election Day.

Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw said more than 23,000 absentee ballots were requested. Her office alone has received more than 17,000. While those votes won't be counted until Election Day, Nov. 5, workers were busy ensuring they have the proper signatures.

Ballot drop-boxes are available at the county election center and at any Jefferson County Clerk's Motor Vehicle Licensing Branches on Election Day.

Nearly 115,000 people voted early and in-person in Jefferson County, many of them waiting in long lines at the 20 polling places available last Wednesday through Friday. Because that's about a third of registered voters, Holsclaw is encouraging voters to give themselves a little extra time when heading to their polling locations on Tuesday.

"I was out at some of the locations and it was great getting to talk to some of the voters, but also to be able to share with them the excitement of voting for president," Holsclaw said Monday. "Every race that's on the ballot should be exciting, but the presidential race usually brings out more people, but it was a good thing. It was wonderful to see that many people out that cared."

Officials on both sides of the river said they were encouraged by the turnout so far. Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said Kentuckians want to be heard and are having their say through every available voting option, particularly early voting.

County clerks said voters can expect to see a lot of people at their polling locations Tuesday morning. 

The polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.

Election security

With a busy Election Day and a lot of voter turnout expected, clerks across the area are working to make sure your vote is safe. 

There are protocols in place to make sure only eligible voters can vote, that all votes are counted correctly and securely, and that those votes are then certified before they are considered official. There is also a paper trail. 

Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced 87 jurisdictions across 27 states will be supervised on Election Day, including Jefferson County. 

Election officers have been training for weeks to protect the integrity of this year's General Election. 

"The vote's gonna go in that machine. It's not hooked up to any internet. We'll always have that paper ballot for several years, it's stored if we need to pull it out," Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw said Monday. "I feel really good about the security that we've got here. We've never really had any major issues, knock on wood, here in Jefferson County or really in the state of Kentucky."

Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw said more than 23,000 absentee ballots were requested.

Kentucky amendment questions

In Kentucky, voters will be faced with questions about two constitutional amendments. 

The first is Amendment 1. If passed, the amendment would add the following sentence to Kentucky's constitution: "No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be allowed to vote in this state."

Some voters said the question sounds redundant, and that's because you already have to be a citizen to vote in Kentucky. 

But Kentucky is joining seven other states asking voters to alter the constitution to explicitly prohibit non citizen voting in all elections. Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina, Idaho, Oklahoma, South Carolina all have similar issues on the ballot  

While federal election law is clear on a citizen voting requirement, there are a handful of cities like San Francisco, California, allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections like school board races. While that doesn't happen in Kentucky. Amendment 1 would forbid it from even being considered. 

Voting "yes" on Amendment 1 would add a sentence to the state's constitution, amending it to read as follows:

"Every citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years who has resided in the state one year, and in the county six months, and the precinct in which he or she offers to vote sixty days next preceding the election, shall be a voter in said precinct and not elsewhere. No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be allowed to vote in this state. The following persons also shall not have the right to vote:"

To read more about Amendment 1, click here.

The second and, arguably, most debated is Amendment 2. 

Amendment 2 would allow lawmakers to direct public funds to private schools, potentially paving the way for charter school funding and voucher programs. Both proposed amendments are on the ballot in Kentucky.

If Amendment 2 passes, lawmakers could introduce a school choice program by the 2025 legislative session that begins in January. It asks voters whether they want the General Assembly to send public tax dollars to private schools.

On the ballot, voters will get the choice of Yes -- which supports the change -- or No -- which opposes it. 

The debate among supporters and critics has become contentious, and there seems to be some confusion about what would happen if it passes, and whether it would automatically fund charter schools. It turns out that's not the case, nor would it automatically create a voucher system. 

It would, however, pave the way for lawmakers to make those decisions starting in the 2025 legislative session.

And it's worth noting that GOP lawmakers already passed a school choice measure that was struck down by the Kentucky Supreme Court in 2022.

To read more about Amendment 2, click here.

Voters in Kentucky will have a chance to vote on two constitutional amendments Tuesday.

Indiana races

In the Hoosier state, there are three statewide races at the top of the ticket — the state's next attorney general, U.S. senator and governor. 

With Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb finishing up his two terms, Republican Sen. Mike Braun is one of three candidates running to replace him.

"I think you will see a big discussion on medical use of marijuana in our state and I will be ready to discuss it," said Braun.

Democrat Jennifer McCormick, the state's former Superintendent of Public Instruction, is aiming to be the state's first female governor.

"Women's reproductive rights and freedom is at top of mind for everyone, but education and good paying jobs as well," McCormick said.

Libertarian Donald Rainwater is also in the running to be Indiana's next governor. The latest poll from ActiVote has Braun up by more than 11 points. 

Incumbent Attorney General Todd Rokita and Destiny Wells are running for attorney general. Jim Banks, Valerie McCray, and Andrew Horning will also be on the ballot for Indiana's next U.S. Senate seat.

Hoosiers will also be faced with a constitutional amendment question on their ballots. Voters will be asked to vote "yes" or "no," to approve or deny a change to the line of succession for the state's governor with the following question: 

“Shall the Constitution of the State of Indiana be amended to remove the state superintendent of public instruction from the list of officeholders who shall discharge the powers and duties of the governor if the office of the governor and lieutenant governor are both vacant?” 

If passed, the superintendent of public instruction would be removed from the line of succession for the role of governor. 

If it is not passed, the current law will be maintained, meaning the superintendent will remain last in the line of succession. 

The elected position of the state's superintendent of public instruction was abolished in 2021, and replaced by a governor-appointed position of secretary of education — a role currently held by Katie Jenner. 

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Bill 1005 in 2019, amending the date abolishing the office of the state superintendent of public instruction, thus creating the secretary of education position. 

The amendment's sponsor, Republican Sen. Jeff Raatz, said the position of superintendent of public instruction was added to the line of succession when it was an elected position. However, now that it is a governor-appointed position, Raatz said the position should be removed from the line of succession to ensure only an elected official could become governor.

Election Day

Polls are open on both sides of the Ohio River from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. People in line at 6 p.m. are allowed to vote. 

TARC is offering fare-free rides again this Election Day. The transit authority has offered the free service on general and primary election day since 2020. It was started to help passengers get to and from polling places across the service area.

TARC will maintain its standard operations on all fixed routes during Election Day. Riders can bypass the farebox and take any route to help them reach their polling location. TARC3 paratransit riders will also have fare-free service.

To view a sample ballot for your Kentucky county, click here. For election resources in Jefferson County, click here. To check your voter registration status in Kentucky, click here. For more information about voting in Kentucky, to check your polling location and more, click here. 

To check your registration status in Indiana, click here. For more information about voting in Indiana, including polling locations and more, click here for the state's Voter Portal.

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