The race is on!

Although political party nominees in a host of races won’t be known for over six months, those individuals seeking the right to run in the November general election a year from now have already began filing.

Filing for a host of local, district and state related races officially began Wednesday, November 6 (the day following the usual general election) and will continue until 4 p.m. on January 28, meaning candidates will have close to three months to make up their minds and file petitions to seek political office next spring.

The candidate field for the primary, as well as next November’s general election, is expected to be somewhat heavy, as all local county and city races are up for grabs, as well as a couple of non-partisan seats on the Clinton County Board of Education. All city offices are also ‘non-partisan’ and will not be on the ballot until next fall.

Other than local county races, some judicial seats, state legislative races and federal government offices will be on the ballot next May and November.

The only county offices that will not be on the ballot in 2014 is that of Circuit Court Clerk and the 40th Judicial Circuit Commonwealth Attorney, positions elected each six year cycle, with those particular elections being held last year.

Even though filing only began the middle of this week, some candidates got an early start in their campaigns during the most recent Foothills Festival parade.

All of the following county offices (and district races) will be up for election in 2014: Judge/Executive; Sheriff; County Court Clerk; Property Valuation Administrator (PVA); Coroner; County Attorney; Jailer; Magistrates in all six districts; and Constables in all six districts.

Also on the ballot, either in the May primary and/or November general election will be seats for State Representative, State Senate, U.S. Representative (First District) in Congress; one U.S. Senate race and both 40th Judicial District Judge seats and 40th Judicial Circuit Judge.

State, federal and judicial candidates file petitions for office with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office in Frankfort.

After all the filing is over, a public drawing for ballot position will be held on January 30 in the offices of Secretary of State and county clerk at 2 p.m. local prevailing time. February 10 is the date the Secretary of State has to certify candidates’ names to county clerks and the last day for county clerks to notify the state board of elections if there are too many certified candidates to be accommodated on the voting machines.

Precinct officers will be appointed in March with April 1 being the deadline for “independent, political organization and political group candidates” to file a statement-of-candidacy form at the same office at which nomination papers are filed.

Also an important date to remember for next year’s primary is that non-voters have until April 21 to become a registered voter in order to vote in the primary election.

The 2014 primary election day in Kentucky will be Tuesday, May 20.

More information on the election process, including absentee balloting, etc. will be published as the campaign proceeds and the Clinton County News, beginning with the November 14 issue, will publish weekly all candidates’ names who have filed from Tuesday morning through Monday afternoon of each week.