Advance voting shows interest in general election

Judging by the numbers from advance voting in Columbia County this past week, overall turnout for Tuesday's general election could be high.

By the end of the day Thursday, 3,614 people had voted at the county's Board of Elections office as part of advance voting week, which ended Friday. The office had 727 to vote Monday, 898 on Tuesday, 955 on Wednesday and 1,034 Thursday, with long lines all day Friday.

Before the week started, Elections Director Debbie Marshall had estimated about 1,000 people would show up for the entire week of early voting.

She changed her prediction for the week drastically Thursday to 4,500 as voters waited for more than an hour in line to vote.

"We're rolling them through over here,'' Marshall said with a chuckle Thursday, adding that residents were not minding waiting in line. "They're just super, super nice.''

Although advance voting week has been held in the county four previous times, it was the first time the opportunity had been offered to residents for a presidential election.

"We now know what to expect for 2006 and 2008,'' Marshall said.

She said she expects overall turnout for Tuesday's general election to be 70 percent - 6 percent higher than for the 2000 general election.

Constitutional amendments:

Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide that this state shall recognize as marriage only the union of man and woman?

To provide the Supreme Court jurisdiction to answer questions of law from federal courts?

Nonbinding county referendum:

Shall the chairperson of the Columbia County Board of Education be elected by the voters of the entire Columbia County school district?