Kenton County Clerk Gabrielle Summe offers the following helpful and insightful advice on how to vote in the November 8 election. Registration is now closed, but Summe anticipates questions from registered voters in this voter tutorial.
HOW DO I VOTE IN KENTON COUNTY? & HOW DOES IT WORK?
There are four (4) choices in HOW TO VOTE:
1. MAIL- IN ABSENTEE: Excuse required: Request through portal (9/24 to 10/25)
2. IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING: Excuse required. 10/26 to 11/2 at Kenton County Government Building @ 1840 Simon Kenton Way. 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
3. EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING: No excuse required 11/3 to 11/5 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
4. ELECTION DAY: November 8, 2022. 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.
SO HOW DOES THAT WORK?
1. Mail-in absentee still requires an excuse to vote. Video of how to complete an absentee ballot: How to Vote – home
2. In-person Absentee Voting is in-person prior to Election Day, but the vote is signing a legal affidavit that they are not available to vote for the 3 days of Early Voting or is available on Election Day.
3. Early Voting does not require an excuse and the voter can go to any of the available Voting Centers.
WHAT IS A VOTING CENTER?
A voting center is a poling location that provides a voter the choice to go to any early voting location and receive their specific precinct ballot.
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
Kentucky now requires a paper ballot for every voter, so the voting centers have two print on demand systems. There is the EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER and PRINT ON DEMAND laptop with a printer. Videos on the voting equipment is available at How to Vote – home.
These PRINT ON DEMAND systems allow the poll worker to produce the specific ballot for the voter.
The EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER uses a blank activation card that gives the voter the freedom and flexibility to make their candidate selections and then when finished will print an eye readable ballot that is then scanned into the location’s scanner.
In-person voting
The PRINT ON DEMAND ballot looks like the pre-printed ballots and requires the voter to mark the ovals in front of the name of their candidate selections. When finished, the ballot is scanned into that location’s scanner.
WHAT ABOUT VOTING ON ELECTION DAY?
On Election Day, voters have an assigned polling location where pre-printed ballots are available. However, the EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER gives the voter the ability to go to any of the Election Day polling locations. A voter could also visit one of the Early Voting locations that has the PRINT ON DEMAND system and receive their specific precinct ballot.
DO I HAVE TO GO TO MY ASSIGNED POLLING LOCATION?
Not unless you require a pre-printed ballot. The EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER gives the voter the ability to go to any of the Election Day polling locations. A voter could also visit one of the Early Voting locations that has the PRINT ON DEMAND system and receive their specific precinct ballot.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I GO TO THE WRONG POLLING LOCATION?
The poll worker will verify if a voter is a Kenton County registered voter. If the voter is at the wrong assigned polling location, the poll worker will give the voter the option to go to that location or offer them the option to stay as long as they are willing to vote on the EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER. The EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER gives the voter the ability to go to any of the Election Day polling locations. A voter could also visit one of the Early Voting locations that has the PRINT ON DEMAND system and receive their specific precinct ballot.
Click image to go to www.govoteky.com
WHAT IF I CAN’T MAKE IT TO MY POLLING LOCATION ON ELECTION DAY?
A voter who cannot get to their assigned polling location has the option to visit any of the other Election Day polling locations. As long as a voter is willing to vote on the EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER. The EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER gives the voter the ability to go to any of the Election Day polling locations. A voter could also visit one of the Early Voting locations that has the PRINT ON DEMAND system and receive their specific precinct ballot.
WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE MY ASSIGNED POLLING LOCATION?
A voter who does not like their assigned polling location now has the flexibility to choose an alternate polling location unless they require a pre-printed ballot. As long as a voter is willing to vote on the EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER. The EXPRESS VOTE BALLOT MARKER gives the voter the ability to go to any of the Election Day polling locations. A voter could also visit one of the Early Voting locations that has the PRINT ON DEMAND system and receive their specific precinct ballot.
