Clinton County voters will join the rest of Kentuckians next Tuesday to help determine who the Governor of Kentucky, as well as all state constitutional officers, will be for the next four years, beginning in 2016.

There are actually three candidates seeking the state’s highest office of governor, with an independent candidate only expected to provide token opposition to the two main political party candidates.

The governor’s race will see current Attorney General Jack Conway and his Democrat running mate for Lt. Governor, Sannie Overly, being challenged by Republican nominee Matt Bevin, an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Senate in last year’s primary, and his running mate Jenean Hampton. Also on the ballot for governor will be Independent candidate Drew Curtis and his Lt. Governor Heather Curtis.

There are two candidates each in the other five state office races.

In the race for Secretary of State, incumbent Democrat Alison Lundergan-Grimes, also an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate last year, being challenged by GOP nominee Stephen L. Knipper.

The race for the office to replace Conway as attorney general will see Democrat Andy Beshear taking on Republican Whitney H. Westerfield.

In the race of Auditor of Public Accounts, incumbent Democrat Adam H. Edelen is being challenged by Republican Mike Harmon.

In the race for State Treasurer, Republican Allison Ball is taking on Democrat Rick Nelson and in the race for Commissioner of Agriculture, Democrat Jean-Marie Lawson Spann is taking on Republican nominee Ryan F. Quarles.

As is the usual case in state elections, voter turnout both in Clinton County and across the state is expected to be low to moderate, despite Kentuckians electing a new governor.

In recent state elections locally, both primary and general elections, just only over one out of five registered voters have actually taken the time to cast a ballot.

Some 7,417 Clinton residents will be eligible to vote next Tuesday, November 3 and the deadline to apply for a paper absentee ballot was this past Tuesday, October 27.

If early absentee voting totals in the county hold true to the poll vote, it may indicate another low turnout at the polls as well.

Through last Wednesday, October 21, just a week until election day, only 57 persons had requested a paper absentee, according to the County Clerk’s office. Also, only 17 people had voted on the walk-in absentee voting machine in the clerk’s office. Voters who will be out-of-town on election day can vote up until 4 p.m. next Monday, November 2.

Polls will open all 13 precincts in the county next Tuesday at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., or until the last person in line has had a chance to cast a ballot.

Results of next Tuesday statewide general election will be published in next week’s Clinton County News.

You can help prevent election fraud

As voters prepare to head to the polls next Tuesday, Attorney General Jack Conway reminds Kentuckians that they can help his office combat vote fraud by utilizing his Election Fraud Hotline. Kentuckians who witness irregularities or possible election law violations are encouraged to call the hotline at 1-800-328-VOTE (8683).

The Attorney General’s hotline is open throughout the year during normal business hours and 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time on election day. The hotline received calls from more than 50 counties during the 2015 primary election and 226 calls from 50 counties during the 2014 general election.

Investigators from the Attorney General’s Office will also be patrolling precincts and polling places across the Commonwealth on election day.

By law, the Attorney General has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute election law violations. The office is also required by statute to conduct post-election audits in six randomly drawn counties within 20 days of the election.