The countdown to Election Day is finally over. After an unprecedented 18 days of early voting across Kentucky, Tuesday is the last opportunity to cast a ballot in the general election. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Christian County has seven polling locations — three in Hopkinsville and the others in outlying communities — and voters may use any of the locations regardless of their home address.
The polling places are located at:
- James E. Bruce Convention Center – 303 Conference Center Drive
- Christian County Senior Citizens Center – 1402 W. Seventh St.
- Christian County Courthouse – 511 S. Main St.
- Valor Hall Conference and Event Center – 105 Walter Garrett Lane, Oak Grove
- Crofton City Hall – 101 E. Mill St.
- Pembroke Baptist Church – 144 S. Main St.
- Sinking Fork Baptist Church – 5800 Princeton Road
Voters are encouraged to wear a mask and they should bring photo identification, said Deputy County Clerk Melinda Humphries, who oversees local elections.
Prior to Election Day, Christian County less than 5K ballots shy of 2016 total
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, voters had more options to cast absentee ballots or vote early in this election.
As of Monday afternoon, 17,611 Christian County residents had cast their vote — 12,984 utilized early, in-person voting, while 4,627 returned mail-in, absentee ballots to the clerk’s office at the courthouse. Approximately 5,180 absentee ballots were requested, including 40 or so from people who sought one recently because they were in coronavirus isolation or quarantine, leaving 553 ballots outstanding on Monday. In order to be counted, those ballots must be returned in-person by Election Day or postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by the clerk no later than Nov. 6.
County totals as of Monday were less than 5,000 votes shy of the total number of ballots cast in the 2016 presidential election, when 22,413 showed up to the polls.
“You don’t know what to expect … this one is like brand new, like nothing any of us have experienced,” Humphries said.
Humphries, who has worked in the clerk’s office for 20 years, told Hoptown Chronicle she has never seen as much interest in an election — especially among younger, first-time voters. Many seem to have been encouraged to vote through social media campaigns, she said.
In addition to the presidential election between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenge Joe Biden, the ballot includes races for the U.S. Senate, the state legislature, the Court of Appeals and Hopkinsville mayor and city council. There are two constitutional amendments on the ballot.
County Clerk Mike Kem has predicted at least 25,000 of the county’s 56,018 registered voters will cast a ballot in this election, which would set a record for the county in a presidential election.
Voters who experience problems or need information on Election Day should call the clerk’s office at 270-887-4105.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
