May 3 last day to request absentee ballot, early voting starts May 12
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County Clerk Susie Skyles says voters have a few different options for casting ballots in the upcoming 2022 Primary Election.
Paper absentee voting
Voters have until May 3 to request a paper absentee ballot.
“Voters can request a paper absentee ballot either by calling the clerk’s office or going online to the portal, govoteky.com,” Skyles said. “The ballots will be mailed.”
Only the voter, the voter’s spouse, the voter’s children or the voter’s parents can request an absentee ballot.
“Those are the only people who can request a paper absentee ballot,” said Skyles.
During the last election, the state covered the cost of return postage on absentee ballots, but that is not the case this year.
“The voter will be responsible for the $1.36 postage to return the absentee ballot this time,” said Skyles.
“You can also use the dropbox located outside the clerk’s office or bring your ballot inside the clerk’s office and personally hand it to me.”
In-person absentee voting
Recently passed state legislation permits six days for in-person excused absentee voting, in which voters who meet certain criteria may cast a ballot at the Martin County Clerk’s Office.
In-person absentee voting dates are May 4, 5 and 6 and May 9, 10 and 11. The hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Early voting
Early in-person voting will be available for all eligible voters at the Martin County Clerk’s Office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 12, 13 and 14.
“Anybody who wants to come in and vote can come in and vote during those three days,” said Skyles. “The state gave us eight hours on each of those three days, and that’s it. If there is a line, one of the deputy clerks will go out at 6 p.m. and get behind the last person in that line, and that’s where it will have to end. Anyone else will have to come back the following day. If they don’t make it those three days, they will have to vote on Election Day.
“Of course, we have to vote whoever is in line, and we will,” added Skyles.
The clerk’s office will only perform election work during those three days.
“We will not be doing any service except voting,” said Skyles.
Election Day
The Primary Election will be Tuesday, May 17, and four voting locations will be open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Election Day polling locations include:
•Martin County Middle School
•Pigeon Roost Community Center
•Inez Elementary School
•Eden Elementary School
“Anyone can vote at any location,” said Skyles. “They will not be able to vote at more than one location.”
Identification is required for in-person voting.
The deadline for registering to vote was April 18, and the deadline to change political party affiliation was Dec. 31. Anyone who registered after April 18 or changed their political party affiliation after Dec. 31 will be ineligible to vote in the primary.
Requirements for excused absentee voting
One of the following requirements must be met to qualify for in-person excused absentee voting:
•A student who temporarily resides outside the county.
•A voter or voter’s spouse who has surgery/hospitalization scheduled during early voting and on Election Day.
•A voter who is a Kentucky resident as defined by KRS 117A.010 who will be absent from the county on Election Day and during early voting.
•A uniformed service member confined to a military base on Election Day and during early voting.
•A voter in the last trimester of pregnancy.
•A voter who temporarily resides outside of Kentucky but is still eligible to vote in the state.
•A voter who, due to age, disability or illness, will be unable to attend early voting or on Election Day.
•Any election officer tasked with election administration for the current election cycle.
•Any person employed in an occupation who is scheduled to work during all days and all hours — including commute time — in which the polls are open on Election Day and during early voting.