NEWPORT, Ky. — Residents across the Tri-State are lining up to vote ahead of the 2024 General Election.
Ohio voters were able to start casting ballots as early as Oct. 8, but the Commonwealth of Kentucky has yet to begin its no-excuse, in-person early voting period.
The Campbell County Clerk told WCPO that approximately 2,800 residents have ordered absentee ballots and just under 650 voters had already submitted a ballot during the excused in-person voting period, which began Wednesday, Oct. 23. Possible reasons to be eligible for excused early voting include medical reasons, travel or college studies.
"We plan on having heavier in-person early voting, we'll probably have heavier excused early voting for the three days, and we'll probably have heavier voting on Election Day," Campbell County Clerk Jim Luersen said.
Although a large voter turnout is expected, Luersen said his team is prepared to handle the long lines.
“We have a good group of poll workers who have now done this for, this will be their fifth or sixth election," Luersen said.
Luersen also said his staff is equipped with technology that will help keep the lines moving and decrease the wait.
Kentucky is relatively new to the early voting process, but Luerson said his staff has been able to prepare for the numbers that presidential elections typically bring to the polls.
One Campbell County man said he wasn't aware voters must have excuses for in-person early voting before Thursday, Oct. 31 and tried voting on Tuesday.
“I guess I didn’t read far down enough on the website," Michael Miller said.
He told us he still plans to return Thursday when no-excuse early voting begins.
Margo Brandenburger, a college student and first-time voter, was one of the Kentuckians who could cast their ballot Tuesday afternoon.
"I feel good about it," Brandenburger said. "I like that we all have the freedom and the right to vote, so that's what I'm doing here today."
Luerson said he expects thousands of residents to cast their ballot early at one of the county's polling sites during the early voting period.
