Record voter turnout in Pike, state

The board of elections office on Jackson Street in Zebulon was a busy place on the first week of early voting as 1,795 voters cast their ballots in person during advance voting, setting records for early voting turnout. There were 349 voters on the first day alone. ’This election is going to mean large crowds at both early voting and on Election Day,’ said election supervisor Lynn Vickers. ‘By early voting you can pick the day you come and absentee by mail is still available. A dropbox is available for completed ballots. Cast your vote!’Early voting will continue on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Oct. 30 with one Saturday voting day on Oct. 24. Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and voter identification is required to vote. Statewide, voting records were set as citizens lined up to cast their ballots at early voting stations across Georgia. In the first week of early voting, a record-setting 1,307,656 citizens voted in Georgia, a 377% increase in total turnout for the first week. ’Georgia is a leader in election access,’ said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. ‘Notwithstanding the pandemic, voters in the Peach State can take advantage of no excuse absentee ballot voting by mail or through a secure drop box; three weeks of early, in-person voting; or Election Day voting.’SAMPLE BALLOTSPike County citizens can view sample ballots outside the board of elections office at 81 Jackson Street in Zebulon where they are displayed near the entrance to the office. Sample ballots can also be viewed online at mvp.sos.ga.gov. NEW PRECINCT LOCATIONSTwo of Pike County’s precincts will have new polling locations for the Nov. 3 ElectionDay only (early voting takes place at the elections office).Zebulon voters will cast their ballots at the Pike Auditorium at 7362 Highway 19, south of Zebulon and Concord citizens will vote at the new Concord Fire Station at 23 Society Street in Concord. All early voting will take place at the Board of Elections office at 81 Jackson Street in Zebulon. ’The reason behind the change in the Zebulon and Concord precincts is lack of space for securing the voting process. The new locations provide adequate space to ensure accessibility of voting equipment,’ said Pike’s election supervisor Lynn Vickers. ‘No matter how citizens of Pike cast their vote, whether by mail voting, advanced in person voting or election day voting; citizens of Pike need to know that their vote is important and secure.’ABSENTEE BALLOTSCitizens can request an absentee ballot for the Nov. 3 election by going to the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov or the Absentee Ballot Portal at ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov or calling 770-567-2003. There are several ways to return the absentee ballots once they are completed. They can be dropped into the mail at least one week prior to the election, they can be handed to a Board of Elections employee and they can be placed in the Absentee Ballot Return Box that will be placed outside the Board of Elections Office on Jackson Street in Zebulon. The drop box will have a three-key lock and it will be emptied every 24 hours.