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Election Day is fast approaching, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 8, and Harlan County Clerk Donna Hoskins provided information for voters wishing to cast their ballots and have their voices heard on Election Day.

“The last day to register to vote is Oct. 11, at 4 p.m.,” Hoskins said. “You can register online, or you can come to the Harlan County Clerk’s Office and register.”

To register online, go to www.vrsws.sos.ky.gov/ovrweb/govoteky.

Hoskins said registration is open to first-time voters who have never been registered in any other location and those who need to update their registration.

“You can change your address if you’ve moved, and you can change your party,” Hoskins said. “This is the time you can do that.”

Hoskins pointed out that to register to vote, the voter must be at least 18 years of age before Nov. 8.

There are also options for absentee voting, including online and in-person options.

“The portal is now open to apply for an absentee ballot,” Hoskins said. “If you don’t have the facilities to apply online, call us at 606-573-3636, and we’ll apply for one for you.”

In-person absentee voting will be open on Oct. 26, 27, 28, 31, and Nov. 1 and 2. To be eligible for in-person absentee voting, the voter must provide a reason for not being able to go to the polls on election day. Persons eligible for absentee voting include:

• Voters who, due to age, disability, or illness, cannot go to the polls on election day.

• Students who temporarily reside outside the county in which they are registered.

• Persons temporarily residing outside the state but still eligible to vote.

• A person Incarcerated in jail who has been charged with a crime but has yet to be convicted.

• A person whose employment location requires them to be absent from the county all hours and all days absentee voting by machine is conducted.

• Military personnel confined to a military base on Election Day.

• A person who is a participant in the Office of the Secretary of State’s address confidentiality program.

Early voting is scheduled for three days before election day, Nov 3, 4, and 5.

“That will be at the Harlan Center,” Hoskins said. “You can just walk in and vote.”

Hoskins said that on election day, voters would vote in the precinct they reside in. She also explained that all in-person absentee voting and early voting will be 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on the days voting is available.

The county clerk mentioned she hopes to see a better turnout for the general election than the county’s primary election in May.

“I hope we have an enormous turnout,” Hoskins said. “We only had about 6,500 people turn out to vote in the primary election. I’d love to see a bigger turnout for the November election.