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Absentee Voting Deadline is Monday, Nov. 3

Terry Prather, The Ledger Independent

County clerk offices have been busy leading up to Tuesday's (Nov. 4) General Election delivering voting booths to precinct locations and handling absentee votes.

Registered voters who cannot make it to their voting precinct on Nov. 4 have two options; request a paper absentee ballot  or cast an absentee vote at their county clerk's office prior to 4:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 3.

With time running out, voters are reminded to mail in their absentee ballot before Monday's deadline.

Clerk offices in Mason, Lewis, Fleming, Bracken and Roberston counties will all be open Saturday, Nov. 1 for people who can't get to the office during the work week.

Saturday hours are: Bracken County 8 a.m. to noon; Fleming County 8:30 a.m. to noon; Lewis County 8 - 11:30 a.m.; Mason County 9 - 11:30 a.m.; and Robertson County 9 a.m. to noon.

In Mason County, 138 paper absentee ballots were mailed to voters and as of Thursday, 146 people have cast their absentee vote at the office. Compared to the 2010 general election, absentee votes are up for this election cycle, which has several contested races on the local level.  Total absentee votes in 2010 were 279, compared to 284 already cast by mid-day Thursday.

Clerk Stephanie Schumacher said she will not be surprised with a 50 percent voter turnout on Tuesday, based on the activity at her office and the level of interest in local elections and the Kentucky senatorial election.  Voter turnout in Mason County in 2010 was 45 percent, compared to 50 percent voter turnout in 2006, when there were several contested local races in that voting cycle.

"Our county tends to gravitate to that 45 percent turnout," Schumacher said.

Bracken County Clerk RaeJean Poe said her office has a total of 200 absentee votes cast, a number lower than what she was expecting.  Poe said one reason she thought it would be higher is because of the three contested races in Augusta for city council, school board and mayor, as well as the senatorial race.  She said she is hoping for a 45 to 50 percent turnout.

"I encourage them to come out and vote if they're going to be out of town," Poe said in regard to absentee voters.

Lewis County Clerk Glenda Himes said she is looking for a 30 percent turnout based upon the absentee vote response.  Himes said one reason for a lower turnout is the fact most local candidates are not facing opposition.  She said she thought the senate race between Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, would have brought out more absentee voters.

Of Lewis County's 10,066 registered voters, only 129 absentee votes had been cast by Thursday.  Himes said she expected 300 absentee votes.

Absentee voter turnout has been normal in Robertson County, according to County Clerk Stephanie Bogucki.  Sixty-seven ballots were mailed out and 16 absentee votes have been cast at Bogucki's office.

Bogucki said she expects a 50 to 60 percent turnout on Tuesday.  In additional to the senatorial race, voters in Robertson County will cast votes in four contested races: Mount Olivet city council and mayor, along with county sheriff and jailer.

Polling places in Kentucky open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.  Voters are reminded to have proper ID.  In the case of Mason County, some voting precinct boundaries have changed due to population shifts; voters should call 564-3341 if they are unsure where to vote.

The Ledger Independent is online at: http://www.maysville-online.com