The Editor's Notebook

By JIM BROOKS
The Nelson County Gazette

According to the Nelson County Clerk’s office, there have been quite a few registered voters who have decided now is the time to switch their party affiliation. While it is perfectly fine for voters to make this change at any time, doing so at this time will pose a problem if you plan to vote in the May primary.

Voters who change party affiliation now will NOT be able to vote in the May primary. The deadline to change party affiliation in order to vote in the primary was Dec. 31,2009. This information is spelled out on the voter registration card, and the clerks in the office can help you with additional information. Voters who change party affiliations will be able to vote in the November general election.

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE APRIL 19. If you have never registered to vote, you have until 4 p.m. on April 19th to register with the county clerk’s office. Voters are required to be registered in the county in which they live. New voters will be able to vote in the May primary.

17-YEAR-OLDS CAN REGISTER, VOTE. If your 17-year-old will be 18 by the Nov. 2 general election, he or she can register to vote in both the May primary and the general election. Voter registration forms can be picked up at the county clerk’s office, completed and need to be returned by the April 19 deadline.

MAIL-IN ABSENTEE BALLOTS AVAILABLE. For voters who wish to vote absentee and are unable to come to vote at a machine — including the infirm, the elderly and college students — they can contact the clerk’s office to receive a paper absentee voting ballot. To qualify for a mail-in absentee ballot, voters must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Advanced age, Disability, or Illness;
2. Military personnel, their Dependent, and Overseas Citizens;
3. Student who temporarily resides outside the county;
4. Other voter who temporarily resides outside of Kentucky, such as a vacationer;
5. Incarcerated but not yet convicted;
6. Your employment takes you out of the county all hours the polling place is open;

The deadline for applying for a mail-in absentee ballot is 7 days before an election.

ABSENTEE MACHINE VOTING BEGINS APRIL 22. For voters who can travel, the absentee voting machine at the Nelson County Clerk’s Office will be available beginning on Thursday, April 22. Please note that the absentee voting machine will be available on only one Saturday prior to the election – Saturday, April 24. Voters who can only cast their absentee vote on a Saturday should mark this date, or otherwise apply for a mail-in absentee ballot.

The criteria to use the absentee voting machines include the following:

1. You will be out of the county on election day;
2. Military personnel, their Dependents, and Overseas Citizens;
3. Military personnel confined to base who learn of it within seven days or less of an election;
4. Student or resident who temporarily reside outside of the county;
5. Voter who has surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on Election Day, and the voter’s spouse;
6. You are a pregnant woman in your third trimester;
7. Election Officials;
8. Precinct election officer appointed to serve in precinct other than his own;
9. Alternate precinct officer;
10. County board of elections members;
11. County board of elections staff;
12. Deputy county clerk;
13. State Board of Elections staff;

If you have questions about your voter registration, absentee voting or your voting precinct, contact the county clerk’s office at (502) 348-1803.

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