How does Columbus’ early vote compare to past elections?
Columbus’ early vote count got a boost Sunday when 1,321 cast ballots, bringing the total with a week to go to 22,176 and the average per hour to 150,
Were that rate to continue through Friday, the total would be 31,176, comparable to the 32,012 voting early in 2008.
In 2012, those voting early here totaled 34,123.
A total of 70,962 ballots were cast here in 2012, a 60 percent turnout of all registered voters. The early vote was 48 percent of ballots cast.
In 2008, the total voting was 74,428, of which the early vote was 43 percent.
Currently, the total number of registered voters in Muscogee County is 131,025, more than in 2012, when it was 120,879, and 2008, when it was 118,302.
Early voting ends Friday. The hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the community room on the ground floor of the City Services Center, 3111 Citizens Way, off Macon Road by the Columbus Public Library.
In Harris County, the hours for early voting at the 104 N. College St. Courthouse Annex in Hamilton are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday.
Voters should bring a government-issued photo ID.
Those who want to see sample ballots may visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page” at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov. Election supervisors urge residents to read ballots ahead of time if they plan to vote on four state constitutional amendments and a special referendum on Columbus’ “tax freeze” on owner-occupied homes.
Tim Chitwood: 706-571-8508, @timchitwoodle
When the poll closed Saturday, 20,855 Columbus residents had cast ballots since early voting began Oct. 17, averaging 148 an hour. If that rate keeps up for the final week, the total when early voting ends at 7 p.m. Friday will be 30,771.
This story was originally published October 28, 2016 at 3:58 PM with the headline "How does Columbus’ early vote compare to past elections?."