The City of Celina will begin early voting next Wednesday for mayor and all three aldermen.
Clay County Election Administrator Monica Davis said early voting runs from Wednesday, May 14 through Thursday, May 29. Davis said the city decided years ago to have these elections in an off-year.
“I believe they just did it so it’s not running with the county election so it can be separate and the people won’t be confused,” Davis said. “I know it’s been this way for quite some time, long before my time of service.”
Davis said she expects half of the 1,000 registered voters will vote in the June 3rd election. Davis said that is what they saw four years ago during same election.
Davis said Celina is one of a few cities in the state that allows property owners to vote. Davis said the board of mayor and aldermen passed that ordinance in 2016. Davis said property owners can only vote via absentee ballot. Davis said finding the property owners can be challenging.
“We go by the city property taxes, but sometimes properties switch hands in between and sometimes it’s had for us to find out who property owners actually are,” Davis said. “It’s up to the property owner to get it touch with us. We do send out absentee ballot applications from the list of city taxes, but sometimes not everyone receives one.”
Davis said the deadline to request an absentee ballot is May 23.
Davis said both early voting and election day voting will take place at the Celina Fire Department. Davis said she feels lucky to always have enough volunteers to staff the election polling location.
“We have a good turnout,” Davis said. “Last year, when we were really busy with the elections, we had a good turnout, people requesting to work. And it’s been the same way this year for the city election. So we’re really blessed with a lot of good poll workers.”
Luke Collins, Willie Kerr, and Justin Rich are running for mayor. For Aldermen, votes can choose from Michael Boles, Timmy Boles, Dawn Dale, Kenneth M. Dale, Christopher N. Hayes, Tracy Mills, Patty Spears and Lester Kenny Westmoreland.
