When voters across the First Congressional District in Kentucky, including Clinton County, go to the polls in just over a month, there will be something of an “unusual twist” to that race. Voters in the district will be somewhat ‘seeing double’ as the two candidates in the race to fill the seat of retiring Congressman Ed Whitfield will appear two times…one on the general ballot and the other on the “special election” ballot prompted by Whitfield’s early retirement a few weeks ago.

Whitfield announced last year he would not seek re-election to the seat, after having served since the 1990s, but took some by surprise about a month ago when he announced he would be leaving office early. This prompted Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin to have to call for a special election to fill the vacant seat.

The special election was scheduled for the regular general election date on November 8, with the winner of that ‘special election’ to be almost immediately seated to fill the unexpired term.

As in the case with the election, however, both Republican and Democrat nominees were chosen by their respective party to be the candidate in the special election, meaning Republican James Comer and Democrat Samuel L. Gaskins will be on each ballot when voters go to the polls in November.

In the extreme unlikelihood one candidate won the special election and the other won the general election, the winner of the special election would only serve out the unexpired term, which ends about two-thirds into January 2017. Then, the general election winner would serve out the full two-year term.

The general election ballot, which is now set, will see Clinton Countians voting for President of the United States, federal elections for Congress, a U.S. Senate seat, a few local elections for school board, and Albany City Council seats.

Clinton County Clerk Shelia Booher would like to remind voters of some deadlines and dates to remember pertaining to the upcoming election, including absentee balloting and other deadlines.

Booher specifically wants to remind people who are not registered to vote, but would like to vote in next month’s election, that Tuesday, October 11 at 4 p.m. is the deadline to register in order to vote in this year’s general election. Further, for anyone wishing to change their political party affiliation in order to vote in the next primary election, is December 31.

Between October 11 and November 1, county clerks across the state will test automatic tabulating equipment and voter registration books will be closed from Wednesday, October 12 through Monday, November 14.

Other election date deadlines to remember include:

* October 21 through November 7: Voter may make application to vote absentee in county clerk’s office.

* October 26 through November 8: Voter and his/her spouse may request a paper absentee ballot because of medical emergency.

* October 28: Last day for a declaration of intent as a write-in candidate.

* November 1: Last day to apply for mail-in absentee ballot. Applications must be received by this day.

* November 1: Last day for any voter who has received an absentee ballot by mail but knows at least seven days before election day that he or she will be in the county on election day and has not voted the absentee ballot to cancel his or her absentee ballot and return it to the clerk’s office. Such a voter shall vote in person.

* November 1-7: Members of the Armed Forces confined to a military base on election day who learns of that confinement within seven days or less of an election may make application to vote absentee in the county clerk’s office.

* December 31: Last day for voters to switch party affiliation and be eligible to vote in the next primary election.

Election day is Tuesday, November 8 with voting taking place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until the last voter in line at the polls have cast a ballot.

Voting machines and ballot boxes will be locked for 30 days following the election.

The final day for a candidate to seek a recanvass of votes is November 15 and any recanvass would take place on Thursday, November 17 at 9 a.m.

Anyone with questions about voting, deadlines, absentee voting or the election in general may call the County Clerk’s Office at 387-5943.