There were no elections in Clinton County or across Kentucky this year, but the 2018 elections will more than make up for the off-year balloting as everything from local to state to federal offices, as well as judicial seats, are to be decided all across the state next year.

Not only will the primary see a very heavy ballot, but the fall ballot–with non-partisan city and school board races included, will also keep county clerk’s offices across the state busy the entire election cycle.

Clinton County Clerk Sheila Braswell Booher provided a print- out of all elected offices in the state to be decided, as well as local elections that will be up for grabs in 2018 and filing will begin in less than a week.

Candidates seeking most offices, including local, state and federal, can begin filing next Wednesday, November 8. The deadline to file for the May primary January 30 at 4 p.m. in the county clerk’s office.

Booher also reminds registered voters who plan on “switching” political parties that they have through December 31 to change their party affiliation in order to vote in their new party next spring.

The county clerk expects the local ballot in the 2018 May primary to be a large one, considering all county offices are up for election, as well as several judicial seats involving district judges, court of appeals judges and the Commonwealth Attorney position.

Local races that will have primaries in May include County Judge/Executive; Clinton County Sheriff; County Clerk; Circuit Clerk; County Attorney: Clinton County Jailer; Property Valuation Administrator (PVA); Clinton County Coroner; all six Magisterial Districts and all six Constable positions.

All offices are elected on a four-year basis with the exception of Clinton Circuit Clerk, who will serve a six-year term.

Also on the ballot with be both 40th Judicial District Court judge’s seats and Commonwealth’s Attorney, all of which are currently held by Clinton Countians, which includes District Judges Mike Lawson and Scarlett Latham and Commonwealth Attorney Jesse Stockton.

District judges serve four year terms while Commonwealths Attorney seats are six year terms.

Also, all county-wide office incumbents are Republicans and a handful of incumbents may or may not seek re-election in 2018.

Also in the crowded field will be the U.S. House of Representative’s race (Congress), which is a two-year term with the First District seat currently held by freshman Congressman James Comer of Tompkinsville.

There will also be the race for Kentucky House of Representatives, which is currently held by 83rd district representative and House Majority Leader Jeff Hoover, a Republican from Jamestown.

The State Senate race will also be on the ballot. GOP first-term incumbent Max Wise of Campbellsville now holds that particular office.

Also on the Clinton County ballot will be a Supreme Court Justice race in District Three, a seat currently held by Daniel Venters.

Once the primary smoke is cleared in late May, there will be a “short break” for a few weeks, but next summer, non-partisan races, including Albany Mayor, all six City Council seats and at least two Board of Education positions will be on the ballot. Persons seeking those offices begin filing next summer in order to be on the general election ballot.

More election information and details will be announced in the coming weeks and the NEWS will begin a weekly update of candidates who file for all offices beginning the middle of November.

For more information on the filing process or the election and voting process and deadlines in general, call the County Clerk’s office at 387-5943.