23,000 write-in votes slow Jefferson County election certification

Jefferson County election officials face a manual verification task for more than 23,000 write-in ballots. The count extends the certification process even as clear winners appear in most local races. Clerk David Yates confirmed his office is currently processing these votes.

The primary obstacle is the requirement that voters spell candidate names exactly as registered. Although thousands of write-in ballots exist, only three candidates filed the official paperwork to become approved write-in options. Mayoral candidate Jeff Yocum is among that small group.

Yates explained that candidates must list multiple spelling variations on their registration forms to account for voter typos. His staff reviews each ballot in real time. A worker checks if the written name matches one of the nine approved variations for a specific candidate. If it matches, the vote counts. If it does not, the worker moves to the next ballot.

Kentucky law mandates that two election workers verify each write-in vote for validity. This double-check process ensures accuracy but requires time. The office is working to clear the backlog before the statutory deadline.

The final deadline to certify election results to the Secretary of State is Tuesday, Nov. 10. The office must complete the verification of all 23,000 write-in ballots by that date to finalize the local election outcomes.