The two candidates left standing in the race to replace jailed former Circuit Clerk Shelly Ashley-Palmertree have an uphill battle against them.
Their foe isn’t supporters of the former clerk but the timeframe of the election.
The runoff between top vote getter Jan Daigre and interim clerk Greg Peltz is set for Nov. 25 — just two days before Thanksgiving.
Voters are bound to have turkey, pumpkin pie and aunt Henrietta’s famous casserole on their mind that day. Many of them, we’re afraid, might miss a chance to take part in America’s greatest civic duty if they get too swept up in holiday hoopla.
Don’t get caughtup in the distractions or thinking about all those sweet Black Friday deals. If you are an eligible voter in Warren County, you need to cast a ballot Nov. 25 or before. Picking a circuit clerk is far more important than picking out that perfect country ham or Butterball turkey.
Many people, also, will be hitting the road to the far-flung corners of our state and beyond to pig out on turkey and fall asleep before halftime of the Cowboys-Eagles game. So they won’t be around to get out the vote on Nov. 25.
Fear not! The circuit clerk’s office was hard at work Friday completing an absentee ballot for voters who will be hitting the road this holiday season.
The office must make its own ballots because the state will not send out new absentee ballots until results from the Nov. 4 election are certified. Voters who cast an affidavit ballot without an ID card have until Wednesday to bring in a valid form of ID. The deadline was extended because Veterans’ Day is Tuesday.
The ballot — even if it does have to be homemade — will be ready this Monday, so there is no excuse not to cast a ballot.
Unlike primary runoffs, every voter — even those who did not cast a ballot for Daigre, Peltz or any other candidates vying for office — is eligible to make their mark on the future of Warren County.
That’s the beauty of the American way of life. Let’s be thankful for it.