More than 35,000 Kentuckians Have Voted Absentee

The polls don't open until Tuesday, but more than 35,000 people have already voted in Kentucky.

The State Board of Elections said 22,390 people have voted absentee at their county clerk's office as of Monday morning. That's about 4,500 more people than at this time in 2010, the last time a U.S. Senate seat was on the ballot.

Another 12,716 people have voted absentee by mail. Tuesday was the deadline to request mail-in absentee ballots. To be counted, the county clerk must receive all ballots by 6 p.m. local time on Nov. 4.

Kentucky's high profile U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes is likely increasing turnout in absentee voting.

State officials could not say how many people have voted from each party.