With another fall season already here, that means the November General election is now just weeks away and the Clinton County Clerk’s office would like to remind potential voters and prospective candidates of some deadlines prior to the general election.

For persons who are not registered to vote, but wish to be eligible to vote in the November 6 election, they have until the close of day Tuesday, October 9 at 4 p.m. to register at the clerk’s office.

Also, anyone who is considering running for any office as a “write-in” candidate has until Friday, October 26 to declare their intent with the clerk’s office. However, any candidate running as a write-in, his or her name would not actually appear on the ballot on election day and would only be counted as a vote by someone physically writing in the name.

The absentee voting process, for those who will be out of town on election day, deployed military personnel or those who cannot physically be at the polls due to medical conditions, will be able to apply for a paper mail-in absentee ballot.

All mail-in ballots must be returned to the clerk’s office by election day afternoon to be legally counted.

The voting machine will also be set up in the county clerk’s office sometime in October to allow persons who will not be in the county on election day the opportunity to cast a ballot.

Contested races on the local ballot will be the race of Albany Mayor and all six seats on the Albany City Council; one Clinton County Board of Education district seat in district five; and two county-wide races, judge/executive and county court clerk.

There will also be a contested First District Congressional race and 3rd District Supreme Court Justice seat race.

Several local county races, barring write-in opposition, will see unopposed candidates running due to no opposition.

It should also be noted that under a federal law change, voters will have to vote for individuals (if they so choose) in elections as the “one-party” or one-lever system of voting a straight party ticket during a general election is no longer allowed.

More election information will be published later this fall and anyone with questions about the election process, including absentee voting, voter registration, where you are registered, etc. may call the county clerk’s office during normal business hours at 387-5943.