Wednesday’s turnout for the first day of early voting was a big topic of discussion online. In both Covington and Atoka, lines were very long.
No one we talked to could remember so many people showing up in droves to vote on the first day of early voting. It’s made things pretty busy for the election commission.
“I don’t know if it was a record, because I haven’t had the time to check, but we voted 1,256,” Cindy Pinner, Tipton County’s administrator of elections, said of Wednesday’s turnout.
During the 2016 presidential election, nearly 17,000 people voted early. In 2012 and 2008, early voting numbers were 15,863 and 17,558.
If voters continue to show up early in the same volume as Wednesday, that means more than 17,500 could potentially vote early.
Early voting for the election will continue through Oct. 29.
There are two locations: the Tipton County Election Commission, at 113 E. Church Street in Covington, and First Baptist Church, at 102 Kimbrough Avenue in Atoka.
Early voting will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you miss early voting and are not voting by mail, you have to vote in person on election day.
Author: Echo Day
Echo Day is an award-winning journalist, photographer and designer. She is currently The Leader's managing editor.
