Mercer County May Change Voting Locations In 2026
Voters lined up for the first day of early voting in October 2020. The county is purchasing equipment which officials hope will reduce wait times for early voters. File image.
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
[email protected]
Mercer County voters may have a different experience in the next election. While some voters may have to travel somewhat farther to cast their ballots, they will hopefully not have to wait as long as they did during last year’s general election.
On Tuesday, March 11, the Mercer County Fiscal Court approved using $98,015 in excess fees from County Clerk Chris Horn’s office to purchase election equipment.
The equipment was request by the Mercer County Board of Elections, who are seeking to reduce the county’s 16 precincts in five voting centers. The election board wants to purchase printers from Harp Enterprises of Lexington to make that change.
On Tuesday, Horn said his office already has one printer, which allows his staff to print up ballots.
“It works really, really well,” Horn told the fiscal court.
His office hopes to purchase 12 new machines and convert five older machines so they would have 17 printers available to divide up among five voting locations.
There is only one slate of candidates in federal and statewide races. In local races, voters are supposed to cast their ballots for offices assigned to the district where they live. In the past, it’s been up to election workers to figure out which ballot a voter is supposed to get, Horn said. He said a county recently had an issue where voters received the wrong ballots, and their ballots had to negated. The printers would allow election workers to print ballots for each voter. The board has to get the changes approved by the state.
“We don’t have any elections this year,” Horn told the fiscal court. The next general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
“Our board feels it is a good time,” Horn said.
If the requested changes are approved, any Mercer County registered voter would be to cast their ballot at any of the five election centers. Horn said he hoped it would really help speed things up during the three days of no excuse early voting before the general election. Over the past few elections, Horn said they’ve had issues with parking and lines at the fiscal courthouse.
“We had several thousand people go through this building,” said Mercer Sheriff Ernie Kelty, who is also a member of the election board. “We’re planning for the future.”
Before the next election, he said they would be moving early voting to another location. Horn said purchasing the equipment would allow his staff to use more printers, which would get people through the voting process faster.
Mercer County reduced the number of voting locations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Horn said ordering the equipment now allows them to lock in the price.
Magistrate Stephen “Pete” Elliott asked about the possibility of state legislation which would require paper ballots.
Horn said they could still perform a hand count. Last year, Horn and the election board performed a hand to eye audit on one voting machine. He said he would check with the manufacturer to make sure. The printer issues a paper ballot. Voters would still fill out paper ballots. Horn said he has previously had to order paper ballots.
“If you’re in my shoes, sometimes you get a little nervous about that,” he said. “You don’t want to run out of ballots.”
On at least one occasion, Horn had to send Kelty to pick up extra ballots.
With the new equipment, Horn said he wouldn’t have to order extra ballots if there was heavier voter turnout than predicted.
Judge-Executive Sarah Steele explained that getting state approval on the county demonstrating they can make the change.
“We’ve got to be able to prove we’re reading to open these centers,” Steele said.
Earlier in the meeting, Horn had presented the fiscal court with a check for $180,376.11 in excess fees. Steele said she wanted to use excess fees while they were available.
The fiscal court voted four to two to approve purchasing the equipment, with Elliott and Magistrate Tim Darland voting no.
“I would just like to have a little more information,” Elliott said. Darland said some voters would be unhappy with just five voting centers versus the 16 traditional precincts.
Horn and Kelty said the voting centers would be centrally located with three of them off US 127 and two off Kentucky Route 152. Officials said the voting centers would have adequate parking, as well as entrances, exits and facilities for poll workers and voters. One problem with some of the current precinct locations is that they are not ADA-compliant.
Before the next election, Horn said they will want to let everyone know about early voting and the other changes. Officials were not able to give out the voting locations Tuesday, but they did say that Lions Park in Harrodsburg will not be one of them.
