Our state AFL-CIO endorsed candidates.

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 1360

"Vote like your union and your job depend on it."

Okay, you hear that from us every election. It's true every time, but especially this time. 

We're about to vote in a primary in the midst of a global pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 Americans. The Kentucky death toll is approaching 400.

The coronavirus emergency led state officials to postpone our primary from May 23 to June 23. Because in-person voting can obviously lead to contracting the virus, they also provided for absentee voting by mail.

In a Tuesday post on the website, Bill Finn did a great job of explaining how to get an absentee ballot from the safety of your home.

"You are now able to request an absentee ballot online at GOVOTEKY.com and have it sent to your house to vote," said Bill, state director of the Kentucky State Building and Construcion Trades Council. "A pre-addressed envelope with postage will be included. The absentee ballot online request takes 2 minutes to fill out. Simply fill it out, hit submit and the ballot should arrive in the mail in a few days.

I tried it just now, and it worked perfectly. I didn't time myself, but 2 minutes is about right. 

The deadline to request a ballot is June 15 at 11:59 p.m., local time, but there's no time like right now to click on GOVOTEKY.com. Bill included a link to an instructional video: KY State Board of Elections-Absentee request video information

You can vote in person in most counties, but in one location. Hence, Bill suggested--and we agree--the absentee ballot option as the safest way to vote. 

Meanwhile, we are posting with this story a list of your state AFL-CIO endorsed candidates.