Registered voters in Kay County who want to vote by mail absentee ballot in next Tuesday’s Kay County Special Election have missed the application deadline, County Election Board Secretary Cheryl Howard said today.
“They aren’t out of luck, however,” Howard said.
Voters who want to cast absentee ballots still can do so at the County Election Board office on Thursday, October 3rd, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Friday, October 4th, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A two-member, bipartisan Absentee Voting Board will be on duty each day to assist absentee voters. ed space raises concerns regarding safety and security.
“We have a responsibility to have certain measures in place to better serve and protect the employees of the county and the citizens who visit the courthouse,” commented Sheriff Steve Kelley. Kelley continued, “The current structure allows for easy access at multiple points; the entire county government is under one roof, and prisoner transport and detention within the courthouse creates a major security concern.”
The shortage of space also requires county employees to work in cramped or inefficient conditions. The criminal and civil needs handled within the Courthouse have significantly increased over the years. In 1926, 64 civil cases and 534 criminal cases were overseen in Kay County. In 2018, Kay County handled 3,804 civil cases and 5,551 criminal cases.
Kay County Clerk Marilee Thornton, shared, “Right now I have employees in three offices in the courthouse. With the Annex and updating the courthouse, I would be able to have all my employees in one office with the additional counter space to assist customers more efficiently.”
Despite the prevalent issues and concerns, the Kay County Courthouse is considered “one of the most beautiful courthouses in Oklahoma,” according to Kay County Assessor Susan Keen. The preservation and provision for this historical site is yet to be determined, however, by the citizens of Kay County.
District Attorney Brian Hermanson noted, “Only a ‘yes’ vote by the citizens of Kay County can insure the continued safety of the Courthouse personnel and preserve our wonderful Courthouse for the next hundred years.”
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