The Associated Press logged the first Kentucky Senate results just minutes after polls closed, setting a rapid pace for the 2026 count.
Key points
- AP reported Kentucky’s Senate results within five minutes of polls closing, with 50 % of votes in by 8:15 p.m. and 90 % by 9:30 p.m.
- Early and absentee ballots accounted for roughly one‑quarter of the vote in the 2022 Senate election.
- The 2022 race recorded 1.48 million votes, serving as a recent reference point for turnout expectations.
- AP’s decision‑team only calls a winner when the math confirms no viable path for the opponent, preserving its neutral reporting standard.
The Associated Press began publishing Kentucky’s U.S. Senate results at 6:05 p.m. ET on Nov. 5, five minutes after the first precincts reported, marking the start of a fast‑moving tally for the 2026 race.
By 8:15 p.m. ET, half of the state’s precincts had reported, and the count reached 90 % at 9:30 p.m., according to AP’s live‑results dashboard.
Reporting Milestones on Election Night
In the 2022 Senate election, about 23 % of all ballots cast in Kentucky were submitted early or by absentee ballot, reflecting a growing reliance on non‑in‑person voting methods.
That same 2022 contest saw 1,477,637 votes cast, providing a recent benchmark for voter participation in statewide Senate races.
Early and Absentee Voting Trends
AP’s election team gathers vote totals from local officials, updates the public as data become available, and only declares a winner when the trailing candidate can no longer mathematically overcome the lead, a process it has followed since 1848.
The live‑results page continues to be updated as the remaining precincts report, offering a real‑time view of the race while maintaining AP’s long‑standing commitment to factual, unbiased reporting.
Reader questions
When were the first Kentucky Senate results reported on election night?
The first results were posted at 6:05 p.m. ET on Nov. 5, five minutes after the earliest polls closed.
What share of ballots were cast early or by absentee in the 2022 Kentucky Senate race?
Approximately 23 % of all ballots were cast early or via absentee ballot in 2022.
How many votes were cast in the 2022 Kentucky Senate election?
A total of 1,477,637 votes were recorded in the 2022 race.
Source: apnews.com
