Kentucky counties struggle to staff voting precincts ahead of Election Day

We’re down to the wire with just a few days left until Election Day in the Bluegrass. But there’s some concern about a potential shortage of poll workers come Tuesday morning.

It takes about 15,000 poll workers to run an election in the Commonwealth, and county clerks across the state are reporting a shortage of precinct workers.

"They are the true face of this election,” said Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. “Many of which have served decades upon decades."

In Jessamine County the county clerk says their operation is buzzing with people casting their absentee ballots, but with just days until the election the county has barely enough people to get by.

“This time it's probably been one of the hardest times to get poll workers,” said Jessamine County Clerk Johnny Collier. “Today, we actually are full. All of our precincts have everybody required to be there, but we don't have any alternates and we usually have six to 10 alternates."

But Jessamine County isn’t the only one sounding the alarm. Madison County Clerk Kenny Barger said going forward the gap is only going to get bigger.

Recognizing the stress on these counties, the Secretary of State’s office is extending a thank you to folks who have dedicated years to this civic duty.

“What we've seen are people like Mrs. Elizabeth Neal in Powell County who has served 63 years,” said Grimes. “We want everybody getting up, getting out and getting loud."

Grimes says her office is working on volunteer retention and recruitment so all of the registered voters in Kentucky’s 120 counties can cast their ballots.