Covid closes clerks office

Doug high in for tom kenny.

And i'm veronica jean seltzer.

Just weeks before an election unlike any we've seen before...the fayette county clerk's elections department has been forced to temporarily shut down because of a positive coronavirus case.

That's tonight's top story at five.

L3: top story white positive covid-19 case closes clerk's elections dept.

Lexington fayette county county clerk don blevins says employees will be under quarantine for two weeks.

He's hoping to reopen the department at that time... september 28th.

Blevins says the closure means there will be a delay in mailing out ballots to voters... but he hopes it'll be only be by a few days.

Still.... the timing isn't great with the general election less than two months away.

Blevins calls it a "devastating setback".

"it's the most dangerous thing to happen to a county clerk from now until november the 3rd and i hope i'm the only one that has to go through this.

The smaller offices it can take down the entire office and it has in the last few months we've had clerks here and there have to shut down."

He says his team has done its very best to prevent something like this...but the virus had other plans.

On a positive note, blevins says all necessary election officers have been recruited..

And locations for in- person voting should be finalized later this week.

He's hoping to have around six or seven locations.

Anyone with questions about the upcoming election can contact the kentucky state board of elections or check the state's election website.

You can find that link at wtvq.com.

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