Water Damage Restoration in Louisville, KY

Election Day has arrived and thousands of people across the commonwealth will head to the polls Tuesday to vote in a potentially historic 2024 U.S. general election.

In addition to choosing whether former President Donald Trump or current Vice President Kamala Harris will become the 47th President of the United States, dozens of state and local issues will be on Kentucky ballots this year, including opt-out measures for Kentucky's medical marijuana program and Amendment 2, the commonwealth's controversial "school choice" issue.

The Courier Journal will provide updates throughout the day from polling locations across Louisville. Follow along for the latest news and results.

5 a.m.: Large turnout expected at KY polls

More than 650,000 voters across Kentucky cast a ballot during Kentucky's early voting period, with the largest early voter turnout appearing in Anderson County. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said 41% of registered voters there went to the polls during the three days of early voting. Bullitt County came in second with 34% of registered voters casting a ballot early.

Adams said Oct. 23 that roughly 130,700 voters across Kentucky requested an absentee ballot in 2024, which could herald a massive turnout Tuesday.

"For the love of God, vote early," he said in a social media post.

Some voters reported having to wait upwards of two hours to vote during the early voting period and a line of hundreds was seen waiting at the Bowman Field polling location during the first day of no-excuse early voting Thursday.

Between early and absentee voting, 792,476 ballots have already been cast.

When do polling locations open for the 2024 General Election?

In Kentucky, polling locations are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Election Day. Jefferson County residents can learn more about polling locations below.

Where to vote in Louisville

Polling locations are assigned by address in Jefferson County.

The State Board of Elections maintains an online list of polling locations across the commonwealth. Voters who know their precinct can use the list to find the name and address of their polling place.

Where to download a sample ballot

Jefferson County residents can download a sample ballot from the Jefferson County Clerk's Office here.

How to get election results

The Courier Journal will update results throughout the night. To get the latest results delivered to your phone, download the Courier-Journal.com app. Click here to download on Apple devices or click here for Android devices.

Vice presidential nominees have visited Kentucky

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz appeared in Louisville on Oct. 23 to speak at a campaign reception on behalf of the Harris Victory fund as part of his campaign stop.

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance appeared in Lexington in August for a Trump 47 Committee-sponsored fundraising event. Kelly Craft, event ambassador, told The Courier Journal ahead of the event and during the Kentucky State Fair Ham Breakfast that Vance is her friend and she was excited to host him.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A software update that election officials said is designed to safeguard Tuesday's vote caused long lines at numerous voting precincts around Jefferson County on Election Day.

Ashley Tinius, a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Clerk's Office, said the system that scans voters' IDs before they're handed a ballot had to upload the information from the approximately 113,000 early voters, a safety feature designed to prevent voter fraud. But she said some workers didn't power up their machines until the polls open, and they can take awhile to come online.

After some voters were forced to wait for hours in line or even leave their polling location altogether, the Kentucky Democratic Party filed a motion in Jefferson Circuit Court requesting polls remain open until 8 p.m. The motion said voters will be "irreparably harmed" if the hours aren't extended.

"After receiving numerous reports of technical issues causing severe delays and infringing on Kentuckians' constitutional right to vote, we immediately filed a motion to request that the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office extend polling hours until 8 p.m. ET," Morgan Eaves, executive director of the party, said in a written statement Tuesday afternoon. "We will use all legal means necessary to ensure that every single Kentuckian eligible to vote has the ability to do so."

"At no fault of their own, voters have been deprived of their right to vote between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. because electronic systems operated by Defendant necessary to cast a ballot were not functional," the motion reads. "The two-hour extension is necessary to remedy the functional closing of polling locations between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. election day morning."

The ACLU of Kentucky said in a written statement Tuesday that the "lack of preparedness from our County Clerk is inexcusable" and that the burden now falls to voters to find more time in their day to vote.

"We encourage all voters to stay in line so that their voices may be heard," Legal Director Corey Shapiro said. "We are exploring all options, including litigation, to ensure every eligible voter in Jefferson County can access the ballot box today."

The ACLU petitioned the court to join the motion. Both sides argued in front of Judge Eric Haner, who denied the request, writing that the groups failed to establish that anyone at those locations were denied the right to vote and at no time did any polling location close.

"Plaintiffs cite to 'approximately' a dozen locations at issue, yet request the entire County remain open for two (2) hours," Haner wrote. "Plaintiffs have not specifically identified the precincts effected, and whether any voters at those precincts were denied the right to vote."

Haner added that the request to keep polling locations open until 8 p.m. would violate the Kentucky Constitution, which states polls can't stay open past 7 p.m.

"Polling locations across Jefferson County were functionally closed," Eaves said in a written statement after the ruling. "These disruptions weren't just unacceptable — they deprived Kentuckians of the fundamental right to vote."

Tinius said some workers didn't power up their machines until the polls open, and they can take awhile to come online.

"The machines that we use are called 'E-Poll Books,' and they had run an update when they started this morning," Tinius said. "So if the election officers had those on right at 5 when they got here, they would have had more time to warm up. But, sometimes, they don't get those on until right before the voters show up at 6.

"So it's taken a little while for the machines to get that update ran, but it is starting to move more quickly here where we are."

Nailah Spencer with the Jefferson County Clerk's Office said the the system update is actually maintaining the integrity of the election by making sure people who cast an absentee ballot or voted early don't try to vote again.

"We had about 113,000 people that were able to vote over the course of three days, not to mention we also have our absentee voters," Spencer said, referencing Jefferson County's no-excuse, in-person early voting period. "So what's happening is the system — the e-poll books — as soon as the election officers turn it on, it's updating with all the information that have already voted. So what it is doing — a positive thing — is it's upholding the integrity of the election. It's making sure that anybody that has already voted isn't able to come in and vote again."

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a written statement Tuesday morning that local employers should "provide flexibility and understanding" to their employees stuck in line. He also called on the Jefferson County and State Boards of Elections to consider extending hours at the polls. But not long after Greenberg issued his statement, Tinius responded, saying there are no plans to extend hours.

"We have no intention of keeping polls open later than 6, and we would appreciate if the mayor would refrain from telling us how to do our job," she said in a written statement. "We take this very seriously, and we are very confident that everyone will be able to vote by 6pm today."

Most viewed stories on WDRB

There were plenty of precincts around Louisville that saw little to no line Tuesday. But the problems occurred at enough polling locations to dominate much of the noise on social media.

Outside Jeffersontown High School, at least 100 people were in line well before the polls opened at 6 a.m. The line seemed to be moving smoothly at first, but then things slowed down. And reports began to come from several other precincts around Louisville as well, workers saying their machines were crashing and there delays signing voters in on tablets.

Tim Rhea said he was in line outside the school around 6:10 a.m. He said an election worker told him the issue "was connected to the early voting, and the data just sort of backed up. ... Bring your patience.

"I stood in line at least 20-25 minutes," Rhea said. "I was like third in line. So the lines are building up. I'm sure there's a lot of people voting. But, really, the backup is more their system. ... The guy next to me hadn't moved the whole time I was here."

Steve Hawkins, who voted Tuesday morning at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Pleasure Ridge Park, said the polling locations should have been more prepared for the turnout.

"They said 'Well, we weren't expecting this,'" Hawkins said. "Are you kidding? Are you kidding? It's 2024. The presidential election. Uncalled for."

By 5 p.m., the line at St. Lawrence no longer stretched outside the building, and voters were getting in and out relatively quickly.

Across town at Doss High School, Pam Sweet said she arrived at 7 a.m., waited until 9:30 a.m. and then left to make a doctor's appointment. By lunch time, she'd returned to cast her vote.

"I was eight people away from getting my ballot," Sweet said. "... I am going to stay this time."

John Boyd, a poll worker at Kammerer Middle School, said they were unable to scan driver's licenses at that location.

"From what I understand, the system that checks you in that brings your name up is being affected by downtown computer slowdown," Boyd said. "So it's happening all over the county, from what I understand. We cannot scan the back of your driver's license right now and haven't been since 6 a.m., which would be a faster way to get people through.

Tinius said there has been no confirmation that voters were turned away and said an election center director told her they have heard no reports of voters being turned away.

"It could be an issue of voters showing up and seen the long lines because of the update the E-Poll Books are running, and, perhaps, the voters themselves are leaving," Tinius said. "But we encourage everyone to stay. Don't leave. Make your voice heard."

"So we have to type each person's name in to get their system up, and, once that comes up, everything is so slow the tablets are timing out. So they'll have to be rebooted about every fifth or sixth person."

Boyd said election officials told him they expected to have the issues corrected later in the morning. He encouraged people to come back if they get tired of waiting in line.

"If you get here at 6 p.m., I don't care if you're lined up clear back to the football field," Boyd said. "You're going to get to vote."

If you have any issues to report, call 502-574-6100 or 800-328-VOTE (8683).

This story will be updated.

Related Stories:

Louisville has a ton of iconic landmarks, and if this impressive Renaissance Revival building were still around today, it would be at the top of the list.

The former U.S. Post Office and Customs House was built at the intersection of 4th and Chestnut streets in 1892. The stone structure stood five-stories tall with an ornamental steeple on its southwest corner, which could be seen from miles around. Imagine seeing that from Fourth Street Live! instead of the apartments there today.

At the time, the federal building was considered such a magnificent piece of Derby City architecture that it even appeared on postcards.

It housed government offices and served as a post office for ~40 years. Inside, its towering atrium was used for public events, like galas and concerts.

In 1933, with the need for more space, the offices all moved three blocks away to the newly built Gene Snyder Federal Building on Broadway. In the midst of the Great Depression, the old building sat vacant for a decade and became known as Louisville’s most grand pigeon roost, which isn’t exactly postcard-worthy. It was demolished in 1943.

Fun fact: Demolition of the building created materials used in the American World War II effort. Here’s a breakdown:

Following demolition, the land briefly became an urban green space, called Lincoln Park, until 1950. Then it was occupied by department stores through the 1970s and converted into offices through the 2010s.

Today, it’s home to the Edge on 4th Luxury Apartments, which were built in 2018, and the corner, once home to that ornamental steeple, is now a parking garage.

Zappos has reopened its original and only outlet store in the country after two years.

According to the Las Vegas-based online footwear retailer, it has reopened the “Outlet Powered by Zappos” in Louisville, Ky.

The outlet opened in 2019 as part of the company’s new fulfillment center just a couple of highway exits away from its previous facility in Shepherdsville, Ky. In August 2022, the company announced it would close the outlet store by year’s end to “refocus its business,” according to reports. FN has reached out for confirmation.

However, Joe Cano, chief marketing and merchandising officer at Zappos, told FN that the newly reopened Louisville outlet is back in business and will offer adult and kids’ styles, an assortment of luxury items and pre-built footwear pallets for sale.

“We’re incredibly excited to celebrate the re-opening of The Outlet Powered by Zappos,” Cano said. “We’re eager to bring back to the local community with 325,000-sq.-ft. of name-brand footwear, apparel and accessory options.”

The shoe and clothing outlet opens at 11 a.m. on Nov. 7 with a special two-day promotion of 30 percent off purchases. Shoppers can expect other promotions throughout the year including, but not limited to, an additional 50 percent off purple-dotted shoes and luxury department shoes, and 30 percent to 50 percent off footwear pallets, Zappos said.

Store hours for the reopened outlet store are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

The company also operates Zappos Unboxed at Mall St. Matthews in a suburb of Louisville.

This move comes just months after Zappos had a major leadership change. In Sept., the company confirmed that Shopbop chief executive officer Kim Fleissner is expanding her role and will now lead Zappos as well.

She replaces former CEO Scott Schaefer, who exited the company on Nov. 1. Both Zappos and Shopbop are owned by Amazon.

The move marked the third CEO change at Zappos in four years. In 2020, a few months before his death, Zappos co-founder Tony Hsieh left the CEO role, and Kedar Deshpande took over. In late 2021, Deshpande departed the company for Groupon, and Schaefer was appointed acting CEO for a short time before getting the permanent gig in April 2022.

“At Zappos, we’re consistently delivering ‘WOW’ online, and through our brick-and-mortar stores in Louisville, we’re allowed the unique opportunity to bring that ‘WOW’ shopping experience to life,” Cano added. “Customer feedback is always a priority, and there’s been demand to have the outlet re-open its doors—so we’re thrilled to be serving here again!”

The footwear-first e-tailer continues to deliver WOW to customers through the expansion of its physical store presence

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zappos.com, the footwear-first e-tailer known for exceptional customer service, today re-opened its original and only outlet store, The Outlet Powered by Zappos, in Louisville, just in time for the holidays.

Continue Reading

As the brand continues to expand its presence both online and offline, The Outlet Powered by Zappos furthers the company's commitment to building a shopping experience for all. Customers in Louisville will be able to shop The Outlet Powered by Zappos for everyone on their list this season! Footwear, apparel and accessories, and a wide assortment of luxury items, are all available at the store.

"Zappos is always on the lookout for new ways to evolve and grow, while ensuring the best service and experience for our customers," said Joe Cano, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer, Zappos.com. "In achieving those goals, we keep a close ear to our customers' feedback. They've been wanting The Outlet to re-open its doors—and we're thrilled to be serving them here again!"

For the first time ever, the retailer's physical store will be offering pre-built footwear pallets for sale. From Nov. 7 to Nov. 8, customers will receive 30% off their entire purchase (certain restrictions apply). Shoppers can expect other promotions throughout the year including, but not limited to, an additional 50% off purple-dotted shoes and luxury department shoes, and 30% to 50% off footwear pallets.

The Outlet Powered by Zappos is located at 9101 Minor Ln., and is open on Tues. through Fri., from 11am to 7pm ET.

About Zappos.comEstablished in 1999, Zappos.com is an e-commerce company known for delivering WOW. Innovating for over two decades, Zappos has continuously challenged retail industry standards to better serve customers, partners and employees. As the leader who pioneered selling footwear online, Zappos offers a curation of world-class footwear and apparel brands for men, women, and children of all abilities. The Zappos experience will continue to evolve and inspire joy in unexpected places as they serve their customers with WOW. Zappos.com LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc.

Media Contact:Zappos@smallgirlspr.com

SOURCE Zappos