Kenton County election officials hope on-demand ballot printing and official early voting centers will help smooth the road to a record-high early and absentee turnout ahead of November’s presidential election.
Gabrielle Summe, the Kenton County clerk of courts, said she expects huge crowds at her office when early voting starts Tuesday in Kentucky. However, for the first time, it won’t be the only place local residents can visit to vote early.
They can also stop at the Independence Senior Center on 2001 Jackwoods Parkway, where county election workers will help them through the same early voting process they’d experience at the county administration building.
Early voting hours at both locations are 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, plus 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 17, 24 and 31.
Summe is excited, she said Monday, but nervous. Attempting to run an election during the COVID-19 pandemic has presented obstacles that local governments never anticipated — and there’s no way to do a dry run on a national event this important.
"We've never really done anything to this scale, so, Kentucky, I just hope everybody is really patient,” she said. “Plan to be in line a little bit and plan to know how you want to vote.”
