Excused in-person absentee voting begins today, May 4, for Russell County voters.
From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excused absentee voting will take place in the Russell County Clerk’s Office on the following days: May 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11.
Requirements to be eligible for excused absentee voting include:
• Voter who is a member of the Armed Forces or a dependent of a member of the Armed Forces and will be out of the county on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter who is a citizen residing overseas and will be out of the county on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter, or spouse of voter, who has surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on the day of an election and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter who temporarily resides outside the state but is still eligible to vote in this state and will be absent from the county of his or her residence on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter who is in her last trimester of pregnancy
• Kentucky resident who is a uniformed-service voter and is confined to a military base on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter who has not been declared mentally disabled by a court of competent jurisdiction and, due to age, disability, or illness, is not able to appear at the polls on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter who is a student who temporarily resides out the county of his or her residence and will be absent from the county of his or her residence on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter who is employed in an occupation that is scheduled to work during all days and hours, including commute time, that the polls are open on Election Day and during the days of no-excuse in-person absentee voting
• Voter who is an election officer tasked with election administration for the current election cycle
Any eligible voters who missed the excused absentee mail-in voting, which was due by May 3, can utilize these days to cast their vote.
Voters who are eligible for excused absentee voting can come to the clerk’s office to fill out an application on a weekday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. by May 11. The application includes a spot to indicate why they need to do absentee voting and requires a signature. Russell County Deputy Clerk Janet Antle assured that the setup at the clerk’s office provides the same privacy as Election Day.
Early in-person, no-excuse voting begins on Thursday May 12 and continues Friday May 13, and Saturday May 14, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the RECC Community Room, located at 2405 North Main Street in Jamestown.
After the three days of early voting ends, the final day to vote will then be Primary Election Day, Tuesday May 17, from 6 a.m.-6 p.m., at one of three voting centers: The Levee Building (behind the courthouse), Salem Elementary School, and the RECC Community Room.
All voters will be required to show a valid ID before they will be allowed to vote. Antle said the quickest and best form of ID to bring is a valid driver’s license.
On election night, the process of tallying the results will be, as always, open to the public.
After the polls close at 6 p.m., constables will escort all of the ballots back to the Russell County Clerk’s Office, where the process will begin.
“The public is most welcome to come and watch the Russell County Board of Elections tally the results,” Antle said.
For any questions, contact the Russell County Clerk’s Office at 270-343-2125.
