Early voting begins across the midstate

Just months after one of the most divided national elections in American history, voters in several midstate counties are headed back to the polls to decide local matters.

Early voting began Monday for the March 21 election in which voters in Houston, Jones, Baldwin, Wilkinson and Pulaski counties are deciding on special purpose local option sales tax proposals.

Additionally, voters in Monroe County are deciding whether to approve a 1 mill property tax increase to go toward keeping the Monroe County Hospital open. Peach County voters are deciding whether to approve an expansion of the tax exemption on business inventory, with the aim of spurring economic growth.

Early voting for Houston County’s referendum on a $145 million SPLOST was at a trickle on the opening day. Poll workers said shortly after noon that only 15 people had voted.

In all counties early voting is Monday through Friday and ends March 17.

Locations and times for early voting in each of the counties are as follows:

Baldwin County: Baldwin County Courthouse, Hearing Room 104, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Houston County: Board of Elections office in the old courthouse in downtown Perry, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Starting March 6, additional locations with the same hours will open at the Houston Health Pavilion Conference Center at 233 N. Houston Road, and at Central Georgia Technical College’s Roy H. "Sonny" Watson Health Sciences building at 71 Cohen Walker Drive.

Jones County: Government Center, 166 Industrial Boulevard, Gray, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monroe County: County Administration Building, 38 W. Main Street, Forsyth, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Peach County: Peach County Courthouse in Fort Valley and Municipal Complex in Byron, 8 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m.

Pulaski County: Courthouse Annex, Hawkinsville, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wilkinson County: Wilkinson County Courthouse, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Early voting begins across the midstate."