Early voting begins Monday

Published 8:00 am Saturday, October 15, 2016

Early voting begins Monday for the November general election all across the state. Local voters can cast their ballots and help decide a number of key issues on education, the judicial qualifications, the race for House District 145 as well as the next President of the United States.

Early voting will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday through Nov. 4 in the hearing room of the Baldwin County Courthouse.

Photo identification is required and may include a Georgia Driver’s License (even if expired), a state or federal issued ID, a valid U.S. passport, a valid military photo ID or a valid tribal ID.

Georgia law also requires the polls to be open on Saturday, Oct. 29 in all 159 counties for Georgians to vote in the November contests. Locally, Saturday voting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on that day.

Election Day is Nov. 8. Polls open at 7 a.m. on Election Day.

Early voting is a convenient way to take part in the democratic process. This period was created to make the elections process more accessible for the electorate by not limiting the voting option to just one day. Why not take advantage?

Don’t procrastinate and certainly don’t let apathy keep you away from the polls altogether. We mustn’t allow others to choose for us when we all have an opportunity to weigh in.

There will be winners and losers on Nov. 8 regardless of whether you stay at home or not. Make sure you’re not left out of the process.

It’s been a contentious election year to say the least and every vote matters.