LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky's May primary election is about two weeks away, and the Jefferson County Clerk's Office is taking steps to avoid technical issues that previously impacted voter check-in.

Jefferson County Clerk David Yates said Monday his office is taking "significant steps" to prevent issues with electronic pollbooks following issues during the last two election cycles. 

Yates said despite pre-election testing, the epollbooks froze before the polls opened. That caused delays in scanning driver's licenses and IDs and forced poll workers to reboot the system, leading to some voter frustration. 

The epollbooks were provided by Election Systems & Software (ES&S). Yates' office said during the last two election cycles, the ES&S system downloaded updated information from more than 100,000 people who voted early and in person before polls opened on election day, leading to a large-scale update when brought online. Officials called the update a "built-in security feature" that makes sure those who have already voted cannot vote again. Due to the volume in the data, the system required more processing time. 

While some voters experienced long delays, Yates said the "integrity and security of the election were never compromised," every eligible voter was able to cast a ballot and all votes "were accurately recorded and counted in accordance with election law."

"Our focus now is not only on maintaining that integrity, but to deliver a smoother, faster, and more seamless voting experience for every voter in Jefferson County," Yates said Monday.

The epollbooks have since been upgraded to improve performance ahead of the upcoming primary election. The systems were also tested during a simulated election day in Jefferson County.

The clerk's office said the company will be on-hand providing additional support if necessary on election day.

Kentucky's primary election day is May 19. Kentucky's Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 19, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Early, in-person voting will be held May 14-16 at 24 locations across the county. Those are listed below:

  • Americana World Community Center
    • 4801 Southside Drive, 40214
  • The Arterburn
    • 310 Ten Pin Ln., 40207
  • Berrytown Recreation Center
    • 1300 Heafer Rd., 40223
  • Cyril Allgeier Community Center
    • 4101 Cadillac Ct., 40213
  • Epiphany United Methodist Church
    • 7032 Southside Dr., 40214
  • Goodwill Opportunity Campus - Broadway
    • 2820 W. Broadway, 40211
  • Goodwill Opportunity Campus - Preston
    • 6201 Preston Hwy., 40219
  • The Heritage — Shively Park
    • 1901 Park Rd., 40216
  • Immanuel United Church of Christ
    • 2300 Taylorsville Rd., 40205
  • The Jeffersonian
    • 10617 Taylorsville Rd., 40299
  • Jefferson County Clerk's Office - Downtown Branch
    • 200 S. Fifth St. Suite 228 First Trust Centre, 40202
  • Jefferson County Clerk's Office - East Branch
    • 12312 - A Shelbyville Rd., 40243
  • Jefferson County Clerk's Office - Fairdale Branch
    • 10616 W. Manslick Rd., 40118
  • Jefferson County Clerk's Office - West Branch
    • French Plaza — 228 Amy Ave., 40212
  • Kentucky Center for African American Heritage
    • 1701 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 40203
  • Lyndon Elks Lodge #2052
    • 904 Ormsby Ln., 40242
  • New Zion Baptist Church
    • 1501 Louis Coleman Jr. Dr., 40211
  • Old Forester's Paristown Hall
    • 724 Brent St., 40204
  • St. Andrew United Church of Christ
    • 2608 Browns Ln., 40220
  • Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church
    • 4335 Hazelwood Dr., 40215
  • Sun Valley Community Center
    • 6505 Bethany Ln., 40272
  • Teamsters Local Union #783
    • 7711 Beulah Church Rd., 40228
  • Triple Crown Pavilion
    • 1780 Plantside Dr., 40299
  • U of L Shelby Campus - Founders Union Bldg. Rm. 218
    • 450 N. Whittington Pkwy., 40222

You can check your voter registration status by clicking here.

All voters must have a photo I.D., or fill out a Voter Affirmation Form and present a social security card, food stamp ID card or any ID card with the voter's name and photograph.

Voters choosing to vote by mail can request an absentee ballot online through May 5 at 11:59 p.m.

To learn more about Kentucky's primary election, click here.

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