Only Minor Voting Issues in McCracken County

In-person voting began at 6 am Tuesday at the McCracken County Courthouse.

Voter turnout has been a little lighter than County Clerk Julie Griggs expected, but she acknowledged that many had already requested absentee ballots.

As of 10:30 am, approximately 550 people had voted at the courthouse. Griggs said only one person who came to the courthouse did not vote, and that was because he refused to wear a mask, as required by County Judge-Executive Craig Clymer. Griggs said she offered to allow him to fill out an absentee ballot outside the building, but he refused. 

She said a few people have come to the courthouse to vote in person, saying they requested a mail-in ballot but hadn't received it.

Other than these, she said, "it really has gone smoothly."

McCracken County voters go into the clerk's license renewal room and provide their ID to get a ballot for their party and precinct. They walk down the basement hallway to a larger hall, where multiple voting stations have been set up. After their ballot is filled out, they visit the voter registration office and scan their ballot. 

Griggs said 15,781 people requested ballots by mail, and the 3,000 ballots she received Monday at the post office means about half of those ballots have already been returned. Ballots postmarked June 23 will be counted if they are received by Saturday at 6 pm. Clerks have until June 30 to certify their vote totals.

One unfamiliar sight was electioneering on the courthouse parking lot. Candidate George Bray was there, along with volunteers campaigning for Raynarldo Henderson and Amy McGrath. 

Griggs said this is unusual because voting typically doesn't happen at the courthouse. She said there have been no problems or complaints, and anyone involved in this activity has been told to stay on the parking lot side of South 7th Street. 

Just over 58,000 people are registered to vote in McCracken County.