Runoff is likely to draw few

Turnout is expected to be low Tuesday as voters in the 10th Congressional District choose one of two Republicans to replace the late Rep. Charlie Norwood.

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The sole item on the ballot is the runoff between former County Commissioner and state Sen. Jim Whitehead, of Evans, and Paul Broun, of Athens, to fill the House seat.

In the June 19 special election, Whitehead received 23,555 votes (43.5 percent), while Broun narrowly edged past Democrat James Marlow (11.208 votes to 11,010) to enter the runoff.

In Columbia County, one of the district's 21 counties, voters favored Whitehead with 68.3 percent of the vote, while Broun received 13.3 percent. Just over 21 percent of the county's registered voters cast ballots.

County Elections Director Deborah Marshall said she expects fewer voters to return for the runoff.

"I'm predicting a 15 to 20 percent turnout," Marshall said.

As of Wednesday, more than 800 Columbia County residents had cast their ballots during the advanced-voting period, Marshall said. She predicted more than 1,000 early votes would be cast before early voting ended Friday.

The runoff election is open to all registered voters, including those who did not cast their ballot in the June 19 election. All polling locations will be fully staffed on election day, despite the expected low turnout.

A driver's license, military identification card, or another acceptable form of ID must be presented at the time of voting. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information about the runoff election or to find your polling location, call the Board of Elections at (706) 868-3355 or visit the county Web site at www.columbiacountyga.gov.