Deadline to register to vote in general election is Oct. 5

With the general election just over a month away, Whitley County Clerk Carolyn Willis provided additional details on deadlines and procedures leading up to Nov. 3.

Monday, Oct. 5 is the deadline to register to vote and be eligible to cast a ballot in the general election.

Individuals may register to vote at the clerk’s office in Williamsburg or Corbin, or online at www.govoteky.com.

The clerk’s office in Williamsburg is open 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday and 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The Corbin office is open 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Friday, Oct. 9 is the deadline to request an absentee (mail-in) ballot.

The ballots may be requested online, again at www.govoteky.com, or by contacting the clerk’s office at 549-6002.

Willis said, as of Tuesday, 1,823 mail-in ballots had been requested by Whitley County voters, and 1,668 have been mailed out to voters.

“This is going to allow us to get all of the ballots back and scanned before early voting begins,” Willis said.

Voters may either mail the ballots back to the clerk’s office or deliver them to either clerk’s office and deposit them in the secure drop box.

Willis noted previously that the drop boxes are being monitored by surveillance cameras.

Early voting will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and continue through Monday, Nov. 2.

Willis said early voting locations will be available at the Whitley County Courthouse and the old Whitley District Courtroom in Corbin next to city hall.

In addition to voting during regular office hours, Willis said there will be special Saturday hours at both the Williamsburg and Corbin offices on Oct. 17, 24 and 31.

Each office will be open 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on those dates specifically for early voting.

Willis said it was too early for her to give a prediction on voter turnout.

However, when the mail-in and early voting options were added for the June primary election, it resulted in the anticipated turnout of 10 to percent 15 percent more than double to 33 percent of registered voters.

Willis said the majority of voters used the mail-in or early voting options as opposed to waiting until election day.

In addition to the presidential race, the ballot will feature a number of state and local races. The U.S. Senate race between Mitch McConnell and Amy McGrath, Whitley County School Board districts three, four, and five, Corbin Board of Education, Williamsburg City Council, Corbin City Commission, and the unexpired Whitley County Clerk term.

There will also be two proposed amendments to the Kentucky Constitution on the ballot.

The first would designate the rights of the victim of a crime as the case makes its way through the criminal justice system, including the right to be notified of any proceedings and to be heard by the court during any of those proceedings, the right to consult with an attorney and the Commonwealth’s attorney, and the right to protection from the accused.

The second would change the terms of Commonwealth’s Attorneys from six-years to eight years beginning in 2030, changing the terms of district court judges from four years to eight years. In addition, in order to qualify to serve as a district court judge, an individual would have to be a licensed attorney for at least eight years.