By Lee Bratcher/OC Monitor
HARTFORD, Ky. — Ohio County Clerk Bess Ralph was at the Aug. 25 meeting of the Ohio County Fiscal Court to inform the court on the preparations being made for the Nov. 3 General Election.
The Ohio County Board of Elections has approved the election plan and Ralph was waiting for Governor Andy Beshear’s Office approval. Ralph reminded the court members the plan could change, but if not, this she was almost certain the county’s plan would be approved.
Ohio County will have two voting centers for the General Election., one at the Ohio County High School, just like during the Primary Election, and a second at the Fordsville Elementary School.
Registered voters will have a chance to vote early beginning Oct. 13, 2020, at Ralph’s office in the Ohio County Courthouse.
Ralph told the court she’d like to allow early voting at her Fordsville office, but she recently lost an employee to another job and, at this time, she’s too short-handed to do it. If Ralph can make some changes between now and Oct. 13, she will try to open the Fordsville office for early voting.
“I would like to, but I’m just not sure if I can pull that off,” Ralph told the court.
“I just want to say, I certainly appreciate yourself and the (Board of Elections) for adding another polling place in Fordsville,” Fourth District Magistrate Larry Keown said. “It is a sizable distance to come down to (the high school) and people have made mention of that, and they’ll certainly be appreciative of that.”
According to Ralph, everything went “really, really good” during the Primary Election, but during the General Elections, she’s expecting about three times as many voters. Ralph heard from many voters about how much they liked the voting at the high school and at her office during the Primary Election. She gave much of the credit to her staff for how well the Primary Election went.
Ralph also thanked the Ohio County Board of Education and janitors for cleaning the OCHS gym during the Primary Election. Because the Primary Election was during a school day, the Board of Education paid the janitors, who were scheduled to work that day anyway. The Nov. 3 General Election is a holiday and the janitors will be off work.
According to Ralph, the two janitors at the high school and three janitors at Fordsville Elementary said they would clean and set up and take down the gym during the General Election. Ralph asked the court for $1,200 total to pay the janitors for work during the General Election.
“That’s really cheap if you check with what they cost to clean at other places,” Ralph said.
During the Primary Election, the fiscal court agreed to pay poll workers $300 each for training and election day and Ralph asked the court to continue doing so for the General Election. With the addition of Fordsville Elementary as a polling place, there will be a need for more poll workers. Ralph estimates she’ll have around 40 poll workers.
Ralph also asked the court to provide lunch for the poll workers at the high school and Fordsville Elementary. Poll workers aren’t allowed to leave the polling center while polls are open. The court provided lunch to poll workers during the Primary Election.
Ralph also asked the court to advertise Ohio County’s Election Day options. Ralph had a billboard owner offer to advertise at a discounted rate the ways citizens could vote in Ohio County.
The state government requires the poll workers to be shielded from voters due to COVID-19 concerns. During the Primary Election, because there was only one polling place, Ralph took Plexiglas barriers used at her office and to use in the high school gym. Now that there are two polling places, Ralph doesn’t have enough Plexiglas barriers for both the high school and Fordsville Elementary. Ralph asked the fiscal court to pay for the purchase of more Plexiglas barriers. Ralph found Plexiglas barriers for $100 per barrier.
Ralph said the setup at the high school would be almost exactly as it was during the Primary Election, but, if she can make it work, she may add another row, just in case.
“I really feel like, even last time we had it set up, we could run 4,000 people through there and they would not have had to wait,” Ralph said of the high school’s set up for voting. “So, I think we’ll be fine.”
Ralph felt like the Frankfort wanted the county clerks to push for people to use the opportunity for early voting, which will again be available at Ralph’s office beginning Oct. 13.
“I just want you to know we have a lot of confidence in you and if there are other things you need from us come back and let us know,” Johnston said.
If you concerned with contracting or spreading COVID-19, or aren’t able to vote early or on election day, you can request a ballot by mail. Click here to request your absentee ballot. Ballots can be requested through the portal through Oct. 9, and through traditional means after.
Mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and received by Nov. 6. Drop boxes will be available to return your mail ballots if you are concerned about postal delays. Ralph will determine the locations for the dropboxes.
If you have any questions about the upcoming General Election, call Ralph’s office at 270-298-4423.
To watch the Aug. 25 meeting of the Ohio County Fiscal Court, click here.