By Allyson Dix
For Glasgow News 1
Barren County Clerk Helena Chase Birdwell shared several voter information details in the Oct. 20, 2026, Barren County Fiscal Court meeting.
Early excused voting began today and runs through Oct. 28 at the county clerk’s office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on regular business days. Early excused voting is for those who have legitimate reasons, such as difficulties standing in line, illness, disability, or travel on election day, Birdwell said.
Early No Excuse voting at the Barren County UK Extension Office will run Oct. 29 through Oct. 31. Voters can cast their ballots from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3 and polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The clerk’s office will be open only for election-related business on Election Day.
“We have the same locations that we’ve had for the last several years with one minor adjustment down in Austin,” Birdwell said.
Voters who have historically voted at the Austin Tracy Volunteer Fire Department will now vote across the road at the Austin Tracy Elementary School.
“We just did that only for convenience,” Birdwell said. “It’s better parking [and] accessibility for our E-Poll books that do run off of Wi-Fi.”
Additionally, on Nov. 5, a hand-to-eye recount will take place in the Barren County Fiscal Courtroom starting at 9 a.m. The recount will be open to the public.
Birdwell said the Secretary of State’s office will select one random machine and one random race to verify that the machines are reading accurately.
The recount is expected to last between one and two hours.
The county clerk also addressed a post circulating social media that claims ballots with written marks on them will be disqualified.
“The poll worker is never going to issue a ballot and make a mark on it,” Birdwell said. “If they do, they’re never going to be a poll worker again in Kentucky. But that is not true.”
