FRANKFORT, Ky. — Election Day is now just 18 days away, but votes are already being cast, either through absentee ballots or in-person early voting.

But when it comes to mail-in ballots, Eastern Kentucky is trailing some other parts of the state.

The number of ballots requested varies from county to county in the Mountain Top News coverage area, from a low of 4.1 percent in Martin County, to a high of 15.6 percent in Magoffin County. Most counties in our region fall between 12 and 14 percent.

But all Eastern Kentucky counties trail the statewide average of 18.4 percent.

That statewide figure is boosted by the state’s urban areas.

27.6 percent of voters in Jefferson County and 37.7 percent of Fayette County voters requested mail-in ballots this year.

If those two counties are removed, the statewide average falls to 14-point-4 percent.