Mike Harris, the Republican representative on the Barren County Board of Elections, and Pat Scott, the Democratic representative, discuss absentee ballots during an inspection held inside the vault at the Barren County Clerk’s Office on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2022.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
BY BRENNAN D. CRAIN, WCLU News
GLASGOW — The process to inspect several mail-in ballots was underway Wednesday at the Barren County Clerk’s Office.
Mike Harris, the Republican representative on the Barren County Board of Elections, and Pat Scott, the Democratic representative, were at the Barren County Clerk’s Office Wednesday to help oversee the process.
The state allows counties to begin processing ballots ahead of the election. The process is fairly thorough, requiring officials to inspect the way ballots are sealed, signatures are signed and procedures are followed. The actual ballot was not inspected, however.
“It’s quite a process – especially to go through over 400 at one time. It will take us a few days to get through these,” said Clerk Helena Birdwell. “I’m glad the law allows for us to start this process early instead of having to wait for Election Day morning.”
While the last two years have been all but familiar territory for elections, this year’s has returned to a familiar set-up. Mail-in absentee ballots were mailed to 668 people across the county. Those people were required to fulfill certain requirements set forth by the state’s board of elections.
Officials were also gearing up for the start of early voting Thursday. It begins Thursday across Kentucky. Machines were transferred to the Barren County Agriculture Extension Office. The voting will take place there from Thursday through Saturday.
“Anyone in Barren County that wants to come out and vote early has that opportunity,” Birdwell said. “You do not have to have a reason.”
As of 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, 171 people voted during the early excused voting process at the Barren County Clerk’s Office. The statewide voting process ended Wednesday afternoon and enabled voters with exceptions to cast their ballot ahead of the early unexcused voting on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and Election Day. The clerk said only a handful of voters had to be turned down due to their lack of an acceptable excuse. View those here.
Early no-excuse voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily through Saturday. The extension office is located at 1463 W. Main St. in Glasgow. Bring a form of ID to check in.
Find your county’s early voting location: https://elect.ky.gov/Voters/Pages/Polling-Locations.aspx
View a sample ballot: http://web.sos.ky.gov/electionballots/
