The candidate filing period for the 2018 election opened Wednesday, and already seven Clark Countians have filed to run for local offices.

At the close of business Wednesday, Clark County Clerk Michelle Turner said, with a host of local elections on the upcoming ballot, she expects more filings in the near future, including her own.

For the county, Circuit Court Clerk Paula Joslin, Judge-Executive Henry Branham, County Clerk Michelle Turner, County Attorney Brian Thomas, Sheriff Berl Perdue, Jailer Frank Doyle, Coroner Robert Gayheart, Property Valuation Administrator Karen Bushart and magistrates Robert Blanton, Sheila McCord, Pam Blackburn, Daniel Konstanopoulos, Joe Graham and Greg Elkins will see their seats on the ballot. The ballot will also include a constable office and three soil and water conservation officers.

Winchester Mayor Ed Burtner and city commissioners Kitty Strode, Shannon Cox, Rick Beach, Kenny Book will also see their offices up for election. These offices will only show up on the ballot for the May 22 primary if more than three candidates file for mayor and more than eight candidates file for city commission.

Clark County Board of Education Districts 1 and 4, currently held by Michael Kuduk and Judy Hicks, respectively, will also be open, but will not appear on the ballot until the Nov. 6, 2018, general election.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the following had filed for local offices in the 2018 election:

— Ralph Harrison for mayor

— Incumbent Berl Perdue for sheriff

— Incumbent Paula Joslin for circuit court clerk

— John Willison for coroner

— Incumbent Frank “Squatty” Doyle for jailer

— Chris Davis for District 5 magistrate.

— William Elkins, a local attorney,  for Clark County attorney

Turner said she would file for re-election early today.

There is no word yet on whether other incumbents intend to run for re-election.

State Senate District 28, currently held by Ralph Alvarado, a Republican from Winchester, will be on the ballot, along with the 73rd District House of Representatives seat held my Donna Mayfield, also a Republican from Winchester.

U.S. Rep. Andy Barr’s 6th District seat will also be on the ballot.

Secretary of State Alison Lundergran Grimes said in a press release Wednesday, the 2018 ballot will feature Kentucky’s six seats in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as the 100 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives and seats in even districts in the Kentucky Senate.

The judicial slate includes the Kentucky Supreme Court’s third district, Kentucky’s District Judges, and all Commonwealth’s Attorneys and Circuit Court Clerks.

Grimes is encouraging potential candidates to use a new filing portal on the Secretary of State’s website. The Becoming a Candidate portal allows potential candidates to use a streamlined web application to fill out much of the paperwork required to become a candidate. At the end of the process, users may save and print a PDF of the required documents for filing with the appropriate filing official. Kentucky law does not currently allow candidates to submit filings electronically.

The deadline for filing for offices that may have a primary is 4 p.m. local time on January 30, 2018. Independent, political group, or political organization candidates for offices that require a statement of candidacy must file by 4 p.m. local time on April 2, 2018.

People interested in becoming a candidate for any office can find more information on the Secretary of State’s website at sos.ky.gov under “Becoming a Candidate.”

The last day to register to vote in the May primary is April 23 and the last day to register to vote in the general election is Oct. 9.

(Editor’s Note: This story was updated Thursday, Nov. 9 to reflect that William Elkins did file prior to 4 p.m. Nov. 8. We regret the error and are happy to correct it.)