The November general election is looming closer, which means the last day to register to vote will be here even sooner.

Harlan County Clerk Donna Hoskins explained the last day to register to vote, change your precinct or party affiliation is Oct. 9.

“You can do it online or come to the Harlan County Clerk’s Office,” Hoskins explained. “You can also do it at (the Harlan Circuit Court Clerk’s Office), where you get your driver’s license.”

Hoskins also explained the process for those needing to cast an absentee ballot.

“It’s now time to apply for an absentee ballot,” Hoskins said. “You can apply for a mail-in ballot under certain circumstances. Call the Harlan County Clerk’s Office and we can tell you if you qualify for a mail-in absentee ballot.“

While there may be other requirements, Hoskins pointed out those who cannot go to the polls on Election Day due to age, disability or illness generally qualify.

According to the Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections website at https://elect.ky.gov/Voters/Pages/Absentee-Voting.aspx the qualifications for a mail in ballot are:

• Advanced in age, disabled, or ill;

• Military personnel, their Dependents, or Overseas Citizens;

• A student who temporarily resides outside the county;

• A voter who temporarily resides outside of Kentucky and who maintains eligibility to vote in Kentucky, such as a “snowbird;”

• Incarcerated, but not yet convicted of a crime;

• Prevented from voting in person at the polls on Election Day and from casting an in-person absentee ballot in the county clerk’s office on all days in-person absentee voting is conducted because of his or her employment location.

A person can request an absentee ballot for themselves, and in certain circumstances for another individual.

“A husband and wife can ask for an absentee ballot for their spouse, or a parent can ask for an absentee ballot for a child,” Hoskins said.

If you must be out of town and do not qualify for a mail-in absentee ballot, there may be the option of using an absentee voting machine.

“We will be opening the absentee voting machine for people that are going to be out of town and do not qualify for a mail-in ballot on Oct. 5,” Hoskins said. “It will probably begin at 10 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. that morning.”

Hoskins said once the absentee voting machine is open, it will remain available during business hours.

“The absentee voting machine will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as the last Saturday before the election, which is Oct. 3,” Hoskins said. “We will be here from 9 a.m. until noon on Oct. 3 for people to vote absentee.”

Hoskins said a mail-in absentee ballot application must be received by the clerk’s office no later than seven days prior to the election.

The Kentucky State Board of Elections website states to be qualified to vote by in-person absentee ballot, you must be:

• Out of the county on election day;

• Advanced in age, disabled, or ill;

• Military, their dependents, or an overseas citizen;

• Military personnel confined to base and learn of your confinement within seven days or less of an election;

• Student or resident who temporarily resides outside of the county;

• Voter or the spouse of a voter who has surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on Election Day;

• A pregnant woman in her third trimester;

Or you are the following:

• Precinct election officer appointed to serve in precinct other than his own;

• Alternate precinct election officer;

• County Board of Elections’ members;

• County Board of Elections’ staff;

• Deputy county clerk;

• State Board of Elections’ staff.

For more information, contact the Harlan County Clerk’s Office at 606-573-3636.

“We want to encourage everybody to vote either on Election Day, by mail-in absentee ballot or by absentee voting machine here at the Harlan County Clerk’s Office,” Hoskins said. “We want everybody to have the best opportunity we can give them to vote.”

Hoskins asks all registered voters to turn up and vote.

“We want Harlan County to have the biggest turnout for this size county,” Hoskins said. “We want to be heard statewide.”