When Americans from Virginia to New York went to the polls, Kentuckians dialed election hotlines and wondered why no one had set up their voting booths. On November 4, 2025, the Bluegrass State found its citizens demanding to vote when there was nothing to vote for! A quirk in Kentucky‘s state constitution mandates certain years without elections.
The result is an entire “off-year” with no state or local contests across Kentucky. While that might be a breather from ads and yard signs, how do we keep voters engaged when there’s nothing on the ballot? This “hidden” law dates back to a 1992 amendment meant to bring order to Kentucky’s election schedule. But in the social media age, that decision created confusion.
In 1992, Kentuckians approved an amendment that shifted the state’s election calendar to reduce voter fatigue and administrative costs. Essentially, it meant gubernatorial and mayoral elections wouldn’t overlap with national races. Back then, it made sense. Voter turnout was dropping, ballots were overcrowded, and officials said it was time for breathing room. But three decades later, that turned into confusion.
Fast-forward to this week: Secretary of State Michael Adams had to hop onto X (formerly Twitter) to spell things out like so:
“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 (…) for the mayor of New York City or the Governor of Virginia. Sorry.”
Adams even followed up with a dry post that’s also gone viral:
“Have I mentioned my repeated call for civic education?”
While Election Day fever gripped the rest of the country, Kentuckians took to social media. On TikTok, user @kelsokru posted a viral clip showing Adams’ tweet with the caption: “This is what we’re dealing with. This is America.” Even Kentuckians joined. “Hi, Kentuckian here. (…) We obviously do not have elections today (…) But I would run to vote for [Zohran] Mamdani if I could’ve voted.”
@kelsokru#greenscreen♬ original sound – Kelly
But how many people actually understand how elections work in their own state? Adams’ post exposed the cracks in America’s civic education. When residents call to ask if they can vote for another state’s governor, something’s broken.
Other states have faced similar issues, but some have taken action. Colorado “Vote Ready” campaigns teach residents how to track election calendars. California schools include mock elections as part of a civics lesson.
Kentucky, as Adams has urged, could benefit from similar programs or year-round workshops, education drives, and school partnerships that make voting as familiar as the Pledge of Allegiance. Kentucky won’t see its next statewide election until 2026, and its next governor’s race until 2027, WLKY reports. But civic engagement shouldn’t just hibernate during this time, right?
Town halls and voter-registration drives can keep democracy alive in Kentucky even without ballots.
