The November 2023 General Election is now just over a month behind us, but the next election cycle–the 2024 May Primary campaign is already “unofficially” underway.
Even though next year’s primary, to select a party nominee for various offices, is still five months away, the deadline to file for office to be on the primary ballot in May is quickly approaching.
Clinton County Clerk Nathan Collins has announced the deadline to file as a candidate for the 2024 primary races is Friday, January 5, at 4 p.m. local prevailing time.
The clerk’s office also announced another deadline quickly approaching for registered voters, that being for current voters who wish to change party affiliations.
Registered voters who wish to change parties and vote in their new party next May have until December 31, 2023 to do so. Anyone switching parties after that date will not be eligible to vote in their new party affiliation until the next general election in November.
(Remember: Due to the Christmas/New Year’s Holiday period, the last day the Clinton County Clerk’s Office will be open will be Friday, December 29, until 4 p.m. Persons wishing to change party affiliations need to do so by that date and time.)
The 2024 election featured races will see federal races on the ballot, with the most important being that for President of the United States.
Although Presidential primaries differ in month and date from state to state, Kentucky’s primary in the President’s race in always during the normal May Primary election.
Also, all U.S. House of Representative (Congressional) seats across the country are up for reelection this year.
In Clinton County, the U.S. House race in District 1 will be on the ballot. That seat is currently held by Republican James Comer of Monroe County.
In a pair of state house races, both including seats that are in Clinton County’s district, is Kentucky Senate District 15. That seat, after recent redistricting, is served by Pulaski County Republican Rick Girdler.
The District 83 House of Representative seat, which includes Clinton and other area counties, will be on the May ballot. That seat is currently held by Republican Josh Branscum of Russell County.
Also on the ballot next May will be the 40th Circuit Commonwealth Attorney, a seat currently held by Jesse Stockton, a Republican, of Clinton County. Stockton serves the three county area of Clinton, Cumberland and Monroe counties.
There will be one local race for Clinton County voters only, that being for Clinton Circuit Clerk, a seat currently held by long-time Republican clerk Jake Staton.
Looking down the road even further, there will also be a handful of local ‘non-partisan’ races that will not appear on the ballot until the November General Election in 2024.
The filing window for those candidates will be next year and end sometime in the summer months.
Local races (other than district-wide) on the 2024 ballot, other than Circuit Clerk next November, will include three of the five current Clinton County Board of Education seats and all six seats that make up the Albany City Council.
For further information about the 2024 elections, please contact the Clinton County Clerk’s Office during normal business hours or phone 606-387-5943.
(A listing of candidates for local, district and national races that will qualify for the May 2024 Primary ballot will be published in a later issue of the Clinton County News.)