The local option election allowing Clinton residents to decide on whether or not to legalize the sale of alcohol here is now just a month away and County Court Clerk Sheila Booher is reminding anyone who wishes to vote in that election of the deadline requirements.

All currently registered voters in the county are eligible to vote in the special election on Tuesday, January 24. However, local residents who are not currently on the voter rolls but wish to vote on the wet/dry agenda have until the end of the business day (4 p.m.) Tuesday, December 27 to register in the clerk’s office.

Also, people who have to vote by paper absentee for medical reasons, etc. can begin making application for paper absentee ballots, which will begin being accepted next Monday, December 19.

All applications for paper absentee ballots must be made with the clerk’s office no later than January 17, 2017 or no later than seven days prior to election day.

Booher also announced the walk-in voting machine will be set up in her office beginning Friday, January 6. Statute requires the walk-in machine be in operation at least 12 working days prior to the election so, with two weeks and two other closed days before the special election, that puts the date the machine will be available on January 6, 2017.

The walk-in voting machine in the clerk’s office is for registered voters who will be outside the county on election day and will be available for voters to use, once set up, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays leading up to the election.

The local option election came about earlier this fall when a petition was filed with the clerk’s office containing enough verified signatures of registered voters from the 2015 general election to request the issue be put on the ballot.

By executive order, and also following statutes governing special elections, Clinton County Judge/Executive Richard Armstrong set the date for the special ballot issue to be held January 24.

Once the signatures were verified, the election had to be set not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days following that process.

There will be a simple one sentence question on the one-issue ballot that asks if you are in favor of the sale of alcohol in Clinton County.

With this being an “off-year” election cycle, there will be no primary or general election in Kentucky in 2017, with the local option election next month being the only election to be held in the county during the upcoming calendar year.

Anyone with questions pertaining to voting in next month’s special election may call the County Clerks office at 387-5943.