Early voting numbers vary widely between Macon-Bibb and Houston

The early voting turnout yielded very different results in Macon-Bibb and Houston counties as election officials brace for Tuesday’s election.

In Macon-Bibb, the number of voters was steady over the early voting period, including a high of 878 ballot-casters Friday, while in Houston County a lack of locally contested races may have attributed to a lower turnout, officials said.

“I would expect (Tuesday) to be steady,” Macon-Bibb County Election Supervisor Jeanetta Watson said. “Candidates are out campaigning and urging voters to support them.”

Early voting turnout in Macon-Bibb was in the top five statewide up until the beginning of the final week of early voting. A total of 5,820 people voted early at the elections office and at Terminal Station. Voters were still filing into the elections office Friday evening as the final day came to a close.

This election cycle in Macon-Bibb County features ballots with locally contested races for sheriff, tax commissioner and a handful of county commissioners, among others.

“This is the first time we’ve had the nine (county) commissioners, mayor and state and federal races,” Watson said. “I’ll be able to look back in four years and say ‘in 2016 this is how (early voting) compares.’”

In Houston County, early voting has been rather stagnant, with a turnout likely impacted by the lack of contested local races, officials said. But on Friday the number of voters picked up.

“(Friday) was our best day all around,” registration and elections assistant Beverly Nable said. Overall, there were 3,047 early voters in Houston.

In 2014, about 3,568 people voted early in Houston County. That election included some contested board of education races, including one five-way battle, and a state House District 147 primary with two candidates. Next week’s election features two contested Houston County board of education seats as well as a contested Superior Court judge’s race. The ballot also includes uncontested races for Superior Court clerk, sheriff, tax commissioner and more.

Of the three County Commission seats up for grabs, only one — Post 5 — has more than one candidate. However, since the candidates are in different political parties, they won’t meet until after Tuesday’s primary.

“I think that’s had a big impact on it being slow,” Nable said.

Tuesday’s voting will take place at the various precincts throughout Middle Georgia. One change in Macon-Bibb is that voters who cast their ballots at Memorial Gym will instead have their polling site at the Milton Bivins Jr. Challenge Center, at 2584 Houston Ave. The temporary move was necessary since renovations are underway at the recreation center.

Other midstate counties such as Baldwin, Monroe, Crawford, Peach and Twiggs also feature local races on their ballots.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 7:40 PM with the headline "Early voting numbers vary widely between Macon-Bibb and Houston."