Kentucky voters were up in arms after discovering polls were closed on election day—until Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, a Republican, explained why.
It turns out you can't vote when there's no election in your state.
That seems like stating the obvious, but Adams had to make just such a public announcement.
Taking to social media, Adams posted:
"We’re getting calls about polls being closed. They are closed because we do not have elections today. Kentucky votes next year."
"You cannot vote today in Kentucky for the mayor of New York City or the Governor of Virginia. Sorry."
He later reposted his X announcement with the caption:
"Have I mentioned my repeated call for civic education"
The majority of state and federal elections in the United States occur during even numbered years. As such, the majority of states didn't have a general election on Tuesday.
A handful of states had statewide referendums or other ballot measures, special elections for vacancies, and some judicial elections. Local elections also occurred for mayors, city councils, school boards, and judges.
Some of those elections—New York City's mayoral race and Virginia gubernatorial's race—have dominated the news lately.
But the state of Kentucky wasn't having a statewide general election in 2025. Voters turned out to vote anyway. Finding their polling places closed, outraged citizens began contacting the media, posting on social media, and calling government officials.
While their enthusiasm to vote is admirable, Kentuckians were still mocked based on Adams' posts.
In the areas that did have elections or ballot measures on Tuesday, it was a good day for Democrats.
The New York City mayoral race and Virginia gubernatorial elections that Adams mentioned both went to Democratic candidates—Zohran Mamdani in NYC and Abigail Spanberger in Virginia—even without Kentucky voters pitching in.
But hey, at least their enthusiasm to vote is admirable.
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