Kentucky · Infrastructure & Trust
Voter Participation Rate in Kentucky
Share of eligible voters (citizens age 18+, excluding those barred from voting) who cast a ballot in the general election.
63% in 2024
#35 of 50 · Bottom tier (higher is better)
Kentucky is worse than the 50-state median (65%). That's a gap of 1.8%.
View interactive chart & trend → See full 50-state ranking →
1980 – 2024 · Kentucky only · interactive chart with US median overlay →
About voter participation rate
What this measures: Share of eligible voters (citizens 18 and over, less those barred from voting) who cast a ballot in the general election.
Why it matters: Turnout is a basic measure of civic health and reflects how strongly voters expect government to respond.
Watch out: Eligibility is denominator-defined. States with more felons or non-citizens see different turnout patterns at the same level of engagement.
Recent trend
| Year | Kentucky | US median |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 44% | 44% |
| 2008 | 59% | 64% |
| 2010 | 45% | 44% |
| 2012 | 56% | 60% |
| 2014 | 45% | 41% |
| 2016 | 60% | 62% |
| 2018 | 49% | 51% |
| 2020 | 64% | 67% |
| 2022 | 45% | 47% |
| 2024 | 63% | 65% |
Kentucky vs. neighboring states
Same metric (voter participation rate), latest year with full state coverage. Click any name for that state's full report.
| State | Voter Participation Rate | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 59% | #42 of 50 |
| Ohio | 65% | #24 of 50 |
| West Virginia | 56% | #47 of 50 |
| Virginia | 71% | #8 of 50 |
| Tennessee | 58% | #44 of 50 |
| Missouri | 65% | #26 of 50 |
How Kentucky compares (2024)
Top 5 best
| #1 | Wisconsin | 7666% |
| #2 | Minnesota | 7650% |
| #3 | Michigan | 7485% |
| #4 | Maine | 7455% |
| #5 | New Hampshire | 7374% |
Bottom 5
| #46 | Texas | 5683% |
| #47 | West Virginia | 5556% |
| #48 | Arkansas | 5406% |
| #49 | Oklahoma | 5346% |
| #50 | Hawaiʻi | 5026% |
Source and methodology
Source: US Elections Project · Direction: higher is better · Unit: %
Download raw CSV (all 50 states, all years)