Advance voting numbers impressive

  VALDOSTA — Lowndes County voters are taking advantage of advance voting, with near-record numbers of citizens packing into the Board of Elections office for a chance to mark their ballots.

With approximately 60,000 registered voters in the county, as of the close of the polls Friday afternoon, 5,893 have voted, nearly 10 percent of the voting population of the community.

On Friday alone, the Board of Elections reported that 1,433 voters cast their ballots for local offices, referendums and issues as well as for state and national candidates, including the decision for U.S. president between Pres. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

The polls at the elections office will open again on Monday morning, Oct. 22, and continue through Friday, Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The only Saturday open for voting is Saturday, Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The last week of early voting will be Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, when the polls will be open at the Elections office from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 6, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 pm. that day. All polling places will be open on that day only.

Undecided voters who have not yet cast their ballots will have more opportunities to see and hear candidates, with the final presidential debate scheduled for Monday, Oct. 22. Locally, there are two political forums next week. Monday, Oct. 22 at Serenity Church and Wednesday, Oct. 24 at the Valdosta High School Performing Arts Center.