Early primary voting gets under way
Published 1:32 am Friday, May 5, 2023
BY LANCE GAITHER
lance.gaither@bluegrassnewsmedia.com
With the upcoming primary election on May 16, Boyle County Clerk Casey McCoy is expecting the voting process to be easier compared to the general election last year.
“We expect it to be a smaller turnout since it is a smaller primary,” McCoy said. “We have new equipment that we will use for this primary and general election that should speed things up. We are looking to add another voting center next election. We expect about 20 percent turnout for this primary. With the way we have ballots split up and with our new print on demand ballot printers that can print ballots at the centers, I feel like we won’t have any trouble at all.”
Lincoln County Clerk George “Street” Spoonamore expects much lower turnout for primary elections this year.
“We have prepared for our bigger voting centers to have more staff there,” Spoonamore said. “We don’t expect a huge turnout this election, not like last fall. It was probably one of the bigger ballots that have been seen in some while so that brings out more people. We don’t expect any where near the turnout from last election.”
According to the State Board of Elections, there are 3,468,537 people registered to vote in the May 16 primary. From Thursday, May 11, through Saturday, May 13, voters in Kentucky can take advantage of the in-person, no-excuse voting, which will be available at local county clerk’s offices and other designated areas. Registered voters can check with their local county clerk’s office or, once again, visit govoteky.com for the locations and times.
The state’s Constitutional Officers will appear on the ballot this year. That includes Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Auditor of Public Accounts, State Treasurer, and Commissioner of Agriculture. Other than the governor and Secretary of State races, the other four positions are considered open, as the current officeholders are seeking another elected position.
In addition, there will be a special election to fill the 28th District State Senate seat, which was left vacant when Republican Ralph Alvarado resigned to become Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health. The 28th District includes Bath, Clark, Menifee and Montgomery counties, as well as part of Fayette County.
Kentucky has closed primaries, meaning a voter can only cast a ballot for candidates of the party in which they are registered. The deadline to change party affiliation was Dec. 31, 2022.
Excused in person voting will continue until May 10. No excuse absentee voting will run from May 11 until May 13.
Boyle County’s voting centers are located at Perryville Baptist Church, Parksville Baptist Church, Junction City Baptist Church, Boyle County Fire Department Station 1, First Christian Church, and the Inter County Energy Coop building.
Lincoln County’s voting centers are located at Stanford Baptist Church, Highland Elementary, the crab Orchard Elementary gym, Waynesburg Elementary, Hustonville Elementary, Mew Hope Baptist Church, Geneva Fire Station, and the Broughtontown Community Center.
Drop Box Location(s) for Mail Ballot
• Boyle County Courthouse Parking Lot
321 W. Main St.
Danville, KY 40422
• Boyle County Courthouse Hall
321 W. Main St.
Danville, KY 40422
8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Excused In-Person Absentee Location(s), May 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10
• Boyle County Clerks Office
321 W Main St. Suite 123
Danville, KY 40422
In-Person No-Excuse Absentee Location(s), May 11-13
• Inter County Energy Coop Building
1009 Hustonville Rd.
Danville, KY 40422
8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Election Day Polling Location(s) May 16, 2023
PERRYVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH
204 E. SECOND ST
PERRYVILLE, KY 40468
Precincts: ALL
PARKSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH
6610 ALUM SPRINGS RD
PARKSVILLE, KY 40464
Precincts: ALL
JUNCTION CITY BAPTIST CHURCH
3860 US 127 SOUTH
JUNCTION CITY, KY 40440
Precincts: ALL
BC FIRE DEPT, STATION 1
1500 LEBANON RD
DANVILLE, KY 40422
Precincts: ALL
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
555 E LEXINGTON RD
DANVILLE, KY 40422
Precincts: ALL
INTER COUNTY ENERGY COOP BUILDING
1009 HUSTONVILLE RD
DANVILLE, KY 40422
Precincts: ALL