Primary Election deadline nears

The deadline for candidates to file to run in the May Primary is Tuesday, Jan. 29.

The Primary Election is Tuesday, May 20. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Locally, voters could see City Council and State Representative races on the Primary ballot.

City Council candidates will need to file their papers at the Taylor County Clerk's office by 4:30 on Jan. 29.

Candidates must be at least 21 years old and have lived in the City for at least a year prior to the General Election. Candidates must pay a $50 filing fee and have two registered voters sign their filing papers. Filing papers are available at the County Clerk's office.

As of Friday, incumbents Stan McKinney and Terry Keltner had filed for two of the 12 Council seats.

In order for the City Council races to appear on the Primary ballot, 25 candidates must file.

"We have to have one more than twice the size of the body," said Taylor County Clerk Mark Carney. "The top 24 would go on to the General Election."

Carney doesn't remember the last time a Campbellsville City Council race appeared on the Primary Election ballot.

State representative candidates may pick up paperwork locally, but are required to file their papers in Frankfort. Candidates must be at least 24 years old, a Kentucky resident for at least two years prior to the General Election, with the last year being in the district in which they are running.

As of Friday, Campbellsville resident Russell Montgomery had filed as a Republican candidate for the 51st District State Representative race. A story on Montgomery's announcement appears on Page 2 of today's issue. The seat is currently held by Russ Mobley, R-Campbellsville, and is a two-year term.

"Another gentlemen has come in and picked up papers, but he has not filed," Carney said.

If enough local candidates file to prompt a Primary, ballot position will be drawn at the Taylor County Courthouse on Thursday, Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. If there are no local races on the Primary ballot, position will not be drawn until Thursday, Aug. 14.

While 2008 is an election year for some City and County School Board and Soil and Water Conservation Board seats, the filing deadline for those races isn't until August, Carney said.

In May, voters will see the Presidential, U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator races on the ballot. Only state senators of odd-numbered districts are elected this year. Taylor County is in the 14th Senatorial District. Dan Kelly, R-Springfield, holds that office.

In the presidential race, only Democrat John Edwards and Republican John McCain are listed on the Kentucky Secretary of State's Web site as having filed.

However, this year's presidential race offers a number of candidates.

In addition to Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich and Barack Obama comprise the Democratic ticket. In addition to McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson fill out the Republican ticket.

According to Kentucky law, Tuesday, Jan. 29 is the last day for presidential hopefuls seeking endorsement by a political party to file a petition signed by 5,000 people of the same party or a notice of candidacy.

In the 2nd District U.S. Representative race, only Republican incumbent Ron Lewis has filed.

On the U.S. Senator's ticket, Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell and Democrats Michael Cassaro and David Lynn Williams have filed. Lt. Col. Andrew Horne (Ret.) launched his campaign in December, but according to the Secretary of State's Web site, had not filed as of Friday.

- Staff Writer James Roberts can be reached at 465-8111 Ext. 226 or by e-mail at writer@cknj.com.