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Spencer County clerk outlines mail-in ballot process and plans for secure drop box ahead of June election
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Summary
County Clerk Lynn Hesselbrock told Fiscal Court the State Board of Elections approved emergency rules allowing no-excuse mail-in ballots and will provide prepaid postage, a secure drop box and a web portal for requests; in-person absentee will be by appointment June 8'22 and election day is June 23.
At the May 4 Spencer County Fiscal Court meeting, County Clerk Lynn Hesselbrock described preparations for the June primary under an emergency administrative regulation approved by the Kentucky State Board of Elections. The regulation removes the usual excuse requirement for absentee-by-mail voting during the COVID-19 emergency and alters how counties must process ballots.
Hesselbrock said the State Board of Elections will provide a secure web portal (expected by the end of May) that will allow voters to request a mail-in absentee ballot. Those requests will still be processed through the county clerk's office. The state will supply prepaid postage envelopes and barcode-capable materials to aid processing; envelopes will include an outer envelope for signatures and an inner secrecy envelope containing the ballot. Hesselbrock emphasized that envelopes will protect ballot secrecy, explaining that "the envelope with the voter's signature is the \"outer\" envelope. The actual ballot was contained inside an \"inner\" envelope, and would remain secret throughout the process."
Key operational points Hesselbrock outlined:
- Mail-in/absentee: Voter requests for mail-in ballots may be submitted now; the State Board portal will streamline requests when operational. The state will mail outreach postcards to registered voters. - In-person absentee voting: By appointment only, to begin June 8 and continue through June 22, available five days per week; staff will maintain appointment logs and social distancing controls. - Election day: Traditional in-person voting will occur on June 23 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the location was not finalized but the clerk flagged the need for a large venue that allows social distancing. - Ballot processing and signature cure: Ballots will be tabulated partially on June 23; ballots with signature mismatches will be subject to a voter "cure" period to verify identity and count the ballot.
Hesselbrock said the State Board will also provide counties with PPE for staff and a secure, camera-surveilled drop box for ballots. The clerk noted the courthouse was locked to public traffic at present and said the county would identify an accessible, surveilled site for the drop box.
Why it matters: The emergency rules change how Spencer County will deliver this primary under pandemic conditions and require logistical changes for staffing, equipment (loaner laptops and potentially Commonwealth Office of Technology programming), and secure ballot handling. Hesselbrock said, "they would be operating under conditions that they had never done before," and asked the court to be prepared for special meetings as necessary to respond to evolving guidance.
What comes next: The clerk's office will accept mail-in requests immediately, set up appointment-based in-person absentee visits, identify the secure ballot drop location and coordinate staffing and PPE distribution with the State Board of Elections.
(Attribution: County Clerk Lynn Hesselbrock; summarized from court minutes and the clerk's presentation.)