Election upcoming, early voting to move

It’s been a year since the last local election in Pike County and residents will have a new destination in order to register to vote and to cast their ballots in early voting. The registrar’s office is now at 81 Jackson Street with the entrance across from the entrance to the sheriff’s office. A SPLOST renewal referendum will be on the ballot for the Tuesday, Nov. 7 election. For Molena residents, two candidates will face off to become mayor – incumbent Jennifer Riggins and former mayor George Ingram. The last day to register to vote in the election is Oct. 10 and the first day of early voting will be Monday, Oct. 16. The registrar’s office is currently taking applications for absentee ballots and they will be mailed around Oct. 16. ’We want to make sure everyone knows where we are now,’ said Pike County registrar Sandi Chamblin. ‘We are not in the courthouse and we will not be doing early voting in the courthouse. We are now behind the tax commissioners office where the old commissioner’s meeting room used to be on the west side of the courthouse.’Citizens who need a photo ID to vote can visit the registrar’s office by Oct. 19. Those who choose to vote early will cast their ballots in the new registrar’s office location, not in the courthouse. ’We will try to have an awning and a banner up to make it easier for voters to locate us,’ said Chamblin. ‘I think our new office will be more convenient for citizens to vote. I hope we have a great turnout in the upcoming election.’