5 Ways to Research the Candidates Before the 2023 General Election

See below for five resources that can help you learn more about the candidates on the upcoming ballot.

Voting Dates

Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2023: Excused, in-person absentee voting for qualified voters at the Jessamine County Courthouse.

Nov. 2 – Nov. 4, 2023: In-person, no excuse absentee voting at the Jessamine County Courthouse.

Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023: Election Day.
Polls are open from 6 am to 6 pm.
The library is one of ten polling places open to all Jessamine County precincts.


1. Read Local Newspapers Online With NewsBank

Find out about federal, state, and local candidates in The Jessamine Journal or the Lexington Herald-Leader. We subscribe to the print editions of both, which you can read at the library. They are also available online through the library’s NewsBank database. If you are using the database from home, enter your library card number.

To search local or state news, choose one of the shortcuts listed under America’s News: Lexington Herald-Leader Collection, The Jessamine Journal, or Kentucky News Sources.

2. BallotReady

Enter your address to view nonpartisan information about the issues and candidates on your ballot. Because it’s pulled from around the web, the amount of info for each candidate varies. Build your own printable ballot that you can take with you to the polls.

3. The 2023 Kentucky Public Radio Voter Guide

Read profiles of each of the state candidates in the 2023 general election. Written by reporters from across the Kentucky Public Radio network.

4. Vote Smart

This nonpartisan, nonprofit website researches candidates using primary sources. Get information on candidate positions, ratings from special interest groups, speeches, funding, and more.

5. Vote 411

This website from the League of Women Voters lets you enter your address to build a personalized voter guide and print out a ballot to take with you. If the candidates have filled out the site’s questionnaire, you can read their positions on various issues.