Yes, you can still vote by mail in Louisville- here's what to know

The Jefferson County Clerk's Office confirms mail-in ballots are a go for the November 3 election.

"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.

Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.

If you're planning to vote by mail in Kentucky's November election, Jefferson County Clerk David Yates has some news for you: the U.S. Postal Service has officially approved mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election, and his office is urging residents who want to vote this way to start planning now.

According to Yates, the timing lines up with election offices around the country wrapping up preparations for the midterms- and it comes on the heels of a bruising legal fight in Washington over whether mail voting would even look the same this year.

For weeks, election officials nationwide had been bracing for disruption. According to NPR, President Trump signed an executive order in March directing the Postal Service to overhaul how it handles election mail- requiring states to submit lists of approved mail voters and imposing new envelope barcode requirements, with USPS empowered to refuse delivery to anyone not on those lists. Votebeat reported that a coalition of roughly two dozen states, led by California, along with the District of Columbia, sued in federal court, arguing the president had no constitutional authority to regulate mail ballots that way.

NPR reported that a second federal judge separately found USPS has no authority to refuse to deliver mail-in ballots in states where election officials do not follow the mailing agency's new requirements for voter lists and envelope barcodes. The Trump administration then asked the Supreme Court to lift the block.

This week- the Supreme Court rejected the administration's request in an unsigned order.

That ruling is effectively why Jefferson County Clerk David Yates and clerks across the country are now able to tell voters: mail-in voting works the way it always has for this cycle. No surprise new requirements, no last-minute confusion about whether your ballot will count.

What Yates says voters need to know

According to the Jefferson County Clerk's Office, voters who choose the mail option will receive their official ballots through USPS and can return completed ballots using the provided return envelope. The office says completed ballots will continue to be processed and delivered under established election mail procedures- meaning residents can drop them in residential mailboxes, blue collection boxes, or postal retail locations, per the Postal Service.

"Every eligible voter deserves an accessible and reliable way to make their voice heard," Yates said, adding that mail voting remains especially important for seniors, people with disabilities, military families, and anyone whose schedule makes in-person voting difficult.

Yates is encouraging anyone planning to vote by mail to request their ballot early and get it back promptly, since it needs time to travel through the mail twice- once to reach the voter, once to return.

Key dates:

• Sept. 19 First day to request an absentee ballot for the General Election (the online portal, govote.ky.gov, won't open its absentee tab until this date)
• Oct. 5, 4 p.m Last day to register to vote (register or update registration at LouisvilleVotes.org; you must be 18 by Election Day)
• Oct. 20, 11:59 p.m. Last day to request an absentee ballot
• Oct. 21- 23 and Oct. 26- 28 Excused in-person early voting
• Oct. 29- 31 No-excuse in-person early voting
• Nov. 3 Election Day

"Our office is committed to conducting a fair, secure, and accessible election," Yates said. "Whether you choose to vote by mail, vote early, or cast your ballot on Election Day, we want every Jefferson County voter to have confidence in the election process."

Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed here! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.