The May Primary Election is drawing closer, and although there will be few contested races on the Clinton County ballot, filing is already underway for the General Election in November.
The local fall election will see more interest and contested races and some non-partisans races will appear on the ballot in all of the city and a portion of the county in November.
The window for candidates to file in the November General Election is rather broad, beginning back on November 8, 2023 and running through June 4 of this year.
Several non-partisan races will appear on the ballot in the fall, including a special election for Mayor of Albany, with the winner to fill out the two years remaining on the four-year term.
The election was prompted by the resignation of former Mayor Steve Lawson, who served one year prior to resigning for health concerns. James Bray is currently serving as interim Albany Mayor after being appointed to that position by the Albany City Council, to serve until the November election.
Also, all six seats that make up the Albany City Council will be on the ballot for city voters. Council members serve two-year terms, while the mayor is elected every four years.
Three of the five seats that make up the Clinton County Board of Education will also be on this year’s general election ballot, including one that has three city precincts.
School board races include District 2, which is comprised of the Seventy-Six, and Neathery-Cave Springs precincts; District 3, comprised of Highway, Illwill, and Speck precincts; and District 4, made up of North, East and West Albany precincts.
Those seats are currently held by Ronald Albertson, Board Chairperson Leslie Stockton, and Vice-Chairman Gary Norris, respectively.
According to Clinton County Clerk Nathan Collins, the deadline for the petition calling for a wet/dry vote seeking the legal sale of alcoholic beverages in the county is August 13.
A petition is now circulating to gather enough names to have the issue once again put on the November General Election ballot for voters to decide.
The county clerk also reminds local residents and voters of more dates and deadlines to remember prior to next month’s primary.
Mail-in absentee voting began Saturday, April 6 and runs through May 7.
Early walk-in voting for the upcoming primary in Clinton County will be Thursday through Saturday, May 16-18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each of the three days, at the following locations: South Kentucky RECC (in the Snow community); Clinton County Fairgrounds, and Clinton County Welcome Center.
The aforesaid locations will also be the three places to cast a ballot on election day, Tuesday, May 21, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The final day to register to vote in the 2024 May Primary election is Mondday, April 22. Registration to be eligible to vote in the November General Election will be re-opened on Tuesday, May 28.
Collins noted that no non-partisan candidate had yet to file for office, and expects the majority of candidates in those races will begin to file after the primary election is over.
County Clerk Collins said that last year Clinton County was randomly chosen for the Attorney General’s election audit.
However, the only finding of that audit was that the Community Center (aka Senior Citizen Center on Spring Street) “was not a sufficient voting center.”
The auditor cited insufficient parking, as well as too much other business (senior center, drug testing, Community Action Office–CAA) occurring in the Community Center.
“At the recommendation of the auditor, the Clinton County Board of Elections is moving the Community Center voting location to the Clinton County Fairgrounds.”
There will be only a handful of races that will be on the ballot in May, with most races having candidates who have opposition.
The top race on the ballot will be that of President of the United States, where President Joe Biden (Democrat) and former President Donald Trump (Republican) are already their respective party’s nominees.
Locally, Clinton Circuit Clerk Jake Staton and Commonwealth Attorney Jesse Stockton, of Albany, are both unopposed.
A sample ballot will be published listing all races prior to next month’s election and the NEWS will keep readers apprised of any candidates who file for office in the coming weeks.
Anyone needing information about the May Primary election in Clinton County, or who has questions pertaining to voter registration, can contact the County Clerk’s Office during normal business hours at 606-387-5943.