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We'll be live at 9 p.m. ET to talk what's next after today's primary elections.

Polls opened bright and early in Louisville at 6 a.m., with several polling locations set up around the city. A number of big names and key races will be on the ballot, with winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries facing off later this year on Election Day, set for Nov. 8.

Early voting opened last Thursday, giving voters who may not be available Tuesday an option to cast their ballot ahead of time. The polls close Tuesday at 6 p.m., with results to follow and plenty of coverage coming at courier-journal.com.

Whether you're heading to the ballot box or following the action from home, here's a quick look at what's happening Tuesday.

When will Kentucky primary election results be announced?

Results of most races should be available later Tuesday evening, after polls around Louisville close at 6 p.m.

This story will be updated throughout the day, and The Courier Journal will provide complete coverage in the evening as results are released.

Also get live results here from our results page.

This story will be updated.

What's happening around Louisville?

Melvi Cifuentes Paul studied the ballot before Tuesday's primary election, paying close attention to judicial races and others up for a vote. When the morning finally came, she was one of the first in line at the Barret Traditional Middle School polling location.

As a 29-year-old from Guatemala who became a U.S. citizen in 2020, she'd waited a long time to cast her first vote.

"It’s fun, but also a great experience to feel like you’re contributing to your community," Paul said. "I graduated with a political science major in undergrad and then studied law, so to finally be able to partake in something that I studied in for many years – including everybody in elementary, middle and high school – was an amazing first experience that I feel privileged to have.”

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The line at Barret started forming about 5:30 a.m., one poll staffer told The Courier Journal, ahead of the 6 a.m. opening. Voters had until 6 p.m. to cast their votes in the primary, to determine who will be on the ballot for the general election Nov. 8.

The race for Louisville's next mayor was among those at stake Tuesday, as well as the options to replace retiring U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, with Democrats Attica Scott and Morgan McGarvey facing off for their party's nomination. Jefferson County sheriff, Jefferson County attorney and county clerk were on the ballot as well, along with several Metro Council, state representative and judicial races.

Morgan King, 28, was right there among the first voters Tuesday at Barret, casting her vote as a Democrat for U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker and several others on the ballot before her work day began. She came out to support candidates who support improved health care, voting access and women's rights, she said.

"I was really reminded today – we had to show our IDs based on the law that Kentucky just passed," King said. "A lot of my ideals really run in line with Charles Booker, so I'm excited to see what he would do."

For subscribers: It's primary Election Day, Kentucky. Five big races to watch.

Bob Wells Jr. described himself as "mostly Democrat" after voting on site as well. He didn't want to name the candidates he voted for but pointed toward safety as his priority when deciding who to support.

“I’m tired of getting up every day and seeing who’s been killed on TV," Wells said. "This ain’t my town, man – I mean it is my town, I’ve lived here all my life and was born and raised here. Here in the last it’s just gotten a little out of hand. I’m looking for a little bit more safety, so I voted for who I think will bring that.”

At McFerran Preparatory Academy on Seventh Street, in Louisville's Algonquin neighborhood, more than 100 voters showed up in the first few hours to cast their ballots, with two poll workers noting the majority had voted on Democratic races. Two voters had arrived at the wrong location that morning due to recent redistricting, according to poll worker Jeovonnii Pryor, but no other early issues were reported.

Robert Scott, one voter, said inflation and rising housing prices had brought him to the polls that morning. Another, Nicholas Toloczko, said inequity and racism were on his mind as he cast his vote – he planned to support Shameka Parrish-Wright in the Louisville mayoral race in part because of her perspective on racism and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Inflation was on the mind of 44-year-old Rachel Szerletich as well.

“The prices of stuff have gotten so high you can barely afford them,” she said.

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At the polls inside Iroquois High School, meanwhile, Robert Edlin said he wants to see a "Republican Congress, all the way." He called on other voters to support the GOP on their ballots and to push for more Republicans in office.

The GOP has a supermajority in the Kentucky legislature, and Republicans occupy five of six U.S. congressional seats in the Bluegrass State. Yarmuth, the lone Democrat, is retiring, though the winner of the race between McGarvey and Scott may have the inside track to replace him.

No issues with polling technology had been reported as of 3 p.m. in Jefferson County, though a number of general complaints were listed on Attorney General David Cameron’s election hotline updates website. Jefferson County saw 12 hotline complaints early in the day, ranging from procedural questions to one instance of electioneering. Across Kentucky, 64 complaints had been filed as of noon.

Poll workers arrived at Iroquois at about 5 a.m. as well, according to two staffers at the location, with a smooth start. Yvonne Roberts, who's worked at Iroquois for 10 years alongside Debra Gibbs, said five people had arrived to vote at the wrong location but there were no additional issues to report, though turnout generally grows after lunchtime.

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Nicole Hayden, a voter at Iroquois High School, said she wanted a high turnout, so much so that she said she complained to poll staffers to put up more signs to indicate the school was a voting location. Primaries are important she said, and she planned to support Booker and judicial candidate Zack McKee, among others.

Hannah Ramsey, meanwhile, came out to support progressive Democrats on the ballot, including mayoral candidate Shameka Parrish-Wright and Tyler Lamon, a Democratic Socialist running for Metro Council's District 15 seat.

"He's trying to build rebuild the tree canopy, which is a big thing for me, he's working on a Louisville Green New Deal and he's just trying to really assist people in low-income areas," Ramsey said.

Parrish-Wright cast her ballot early Tuesday at Butler High School. Primaries are more representative of the people, she said, because candidates chosen in this election cycle will show up in the general election.

"We need to put our votes behind someone who is going to hold true, who is going to do everything they say they are going to do and who is always going to listen to the people of Louisville," Parrish-Wright said.

In her first election, Paul voted for candidates she believes will work to stick to their campaign goals and promises.

But she's realistic, she said. Opposition will await if they take office. The candidates she supported have "a lot of ground to make in certain areas," she said.

"I’m excited to see what they end up contributing in the end," Paul said after casting her ballot. "That’s why we have elections – if they don’t and somebody else comes along, we can choose to vote for them as well."

Who's on the ballot?

Several key races are set to take place Tuesday, including U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Louisville mayor, Jefferson County sheriff, Jefferson County attorney and county clerk, along with several Metro Council, state representative and judicial races.

Some of the races will determine who will be on the ballot to replace notable officials leaving office, including retiring U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who is wrapping up his third and final term. U.S. Sen. Rand Paul's Democratic challenger in the upcoming election will be determined as well.

Related: What to know about the judge races in Jefferson County

Follow this link to check out a Jefferson County sample ballot.

Reach Ana Alvarez Briñez at abrinez@courier-journal.com; reach Caleb Stultz at cstultz@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky primary election: Live updates from polls in Louisville