BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Voting in the May Primary is underway in Martin County. Excused absentee machine voting begins today in the Martin County Clerk’s Office, and early voting starts May 12.
In-person absentee voting days are May 4-6 and May 9-11. Hours for excused absentee machine voting will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the remaining days.
“We will start setting the machine up Wednesday morning at 8,” Martin County Clerk Susie Skyles said Monday. “We can’t set it up the night before; it has to be set up during the hours that we are open. So excused absentee in-person voters can come in and vote Wednesday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. After that, we just have to turn the machine back on each morning, and it will be up at 8 a.m.”
Early voting will be available to all Martin County voters May 12-14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the Martin County Clerk’s Office.
“You don’t have to have an excuse to come in and vote early,” said Skyles.
The clerk will have chairs in the hallway on all voting dates for those who cannot stand in the lines.
Skyles’ office will conduct regular business from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. during early voting dates.
“After 10 a.m., voting is all we will be able to do,” said the clerk. “We want to make sure everyone has the chance to vote because that’s what is important.
“Everyone, come out and vote,” she added.
Skyles encourages anyone with questions to call her at 606-298-2810 or contact her on Messenger.
“I always answer anyone who messages me, no matter when it is,” she said.
Tuesday was the last day to request an absentee ballot.
The Primary Election is May 17, and voters can cast their ballots at one of four polling places: Eden Elementary, Inez Elementary, Pigeon Roost Community Center and Martin County Middle School.
“Anyone can vote at any of the four locations,” said Skyles.
Voter registration numbers in Martin County for the May primary election changed by only two from the May 2020 primary.
“There are 8,198 registered voters in the county for this year’s primary compared to 8,196 registered voters in May 2020,” said Skyles.
Records at the Kentucky State Board of Elections show registered voters in Martin County include 1,698 Democrats, 6,225 Republicans, 132 Others, 130 Independents, nine Libertarians, two Green Party members, one Constitution and one Reform.
Female voters outnumber male voters by 346 (4,229 to 3,883).
District 1 has 1,578 voters in three precincts:
•A101 Lower Inez 768
•A102 Upper Inez 348
•A103 Turkey 462
District 2 has 1,697 registered voters in three precincts:
•B101 Blacklog 351
•B102 Coldwater 699
•B103 John Davis 647
District 3 has 1,813 voters in two precincts:
•C101 Tomahawk 1,113
•C102 Lick Branch 700
District 4 has 1,617 voters in four precincts:
•D101 Long Branch 478
•D102 Emily 525
•D103 Pigeon Roost 440
•D104 Sam Moore 174
District 5 has 1,493 voters in two precincts:
•E101 Himlerville 494
•E102 Warfield 999
