Because it has basically been a quiet primary election for the most part in Kentucky, some voters haven’t taken the time to consider that election day is now less than a month away across the state and here in Clinton County.

Turnout both in Kentucky and locally is expected to be relatively low, primarily due to no local races nor major federal races of interest that will be appearing on the May 17 ballot.

Kentuckians who do take part in the election process, however, will be nominating all statewide office holders for the next four years, including the state’s highest office of governor and lieutenant governor. And, there are a few contested races on that slate on both the Republican and Democrat side of the ticket.

Voters who for some reason cannot vote at a polling place on election day (i.e. medical conditions) can now request a paper absentee ballot from the Clinton County Clerks Office.

Paper absentees must be returned to the office by 6 p.m. on election day to be counted.

Also, the voting machine for walk-in voters will be available for voting within a few days, according to officials with the local clerk’s office.

The only voters who will be allowed to cast a ballot on the walk-in machine at the clerk’s office are those that will be out of the county on election day, Tuesday, May 17.

The deadline to register to vote in this year’s primary has already passed, with that date being this past Monday, April 18. Anyone registered between now and May 17 will not be eligible to vote until the November general election.

Kentucky Secretary of State Elaine Walker also wishes to remind voters that if they have moved recently, especially from one county to another, they need to update their registration with the county in which they now reside.

Also, anyone who changed political party affiliation after December 31 of last year will not be eligible to vote in their new party primary but will be eligible to vote this fall.

If citizens are unsure whether they have registered to vote or uncertain as to where they vote, the can view that information online through the Voter Information Center (VIC), which informs voters on where they are registered, the location of their polling places and their party affiliation. It also provides links to elected representatives and driving directions from the voter’s home to his or her polling location. VIC can be accessed at www.vote.ky.gov/vic.

To obtain a list of county clerks or other voter registration sites in your area, contact the Kentucky State Board of Elections at (502) 573-7100 or via the web at www.elect.ky.gov.