Yet to vote? It’s the first weekend of early voting in Georgia

More than 1,000 Columbus residents have voted in advance each day this week as the first weekend of early voting arrives.

The weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the community room on the ground floor of the City Services Center, 3111 Citizens Way, off Macon Road by the Columbus Public Library.

Weekend voting is rarely busy. When Columbus offered two Sundays of early voting for the May 24 state party primaries and local nonpartisan elections, only 12 people showed up on one day and 15 on the other one.

During the week, the poll is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 4. All Georgia voting precincts will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8.

The daily tally this week was 1,748 on Monday, 1,520 on Tuesday, 1,591 on Wednesday, 1,666 Thursday and 1,180 as of 4:20 p.m. Friday, said Nancy Boren, executive director of the Muscogee County Board of Elections and Registrations.

Voters with disabilities should remember Access2independence is offering them a free ride to the city’s early voting poll from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, if they reserve a spot by Tuesday. Those who want to sign up may call 706-405-2393 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, said Access2independence Executive Director Nichole Davis.

In Harris County, the hours for early voting at the 104 N. College St. Courthouse Annex in Hamilton are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday the week of Oct. 24-28; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. the week of Oct. 31-Nov. 4; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Voters should bring a government-issued photo ID.

Those who want to see individual sample ballots may visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page” at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov, where ballots are posted in PDF format. Election supervisors are urging voters 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.

Across the river in Russell County, Ala., residents face a Monday deadline to register to vote.

Russell County Probate Judge Alford Harden said residents can register in his office or the second-floor registrar’s office at the county courthouse, formerly the riverfront Mead headquarters, at 1000 Broad Street in Phenix City. The office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT.

Those registering do not have to bring any documentation with them, he said. They put a driver’s license or Social Security number on the form, and the office staff confirms that before sending a voter registration card.

Those with online access can register at www.alabamavotes.gov, where residents also can change their address of record, view ballot measures and get other voter information.

This story was originally published October 21, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Yet to vote? It’s the first weekend of early voting in Georgia."