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Early voters by the thousands cast ballots this week in Fayetteville

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@thecitizennews.com

More than 1,000 Fayette County voters showed up Monday to cast early ballots in next week’s presidential election, and a similar number were expected Tuesday, setting the stage for the record turnout officials have been predicting for months.

Those eligible to vote early — including people age 75 or older, the disabled or anyone who will be absent from their precinct on Election Day — lined the upper walkway outside the county elections office at the Stonewall Administrative Complex in Fayetteville.

But even though 1,165 people voted Monday alone, the lines moved steadily throughout the day, Elections Superintendent Carolyn Combs said.

“It’s that many today, if not more,” Combs said early Tuesday afternoon.

The average reported wait in line was about 45 minutes, officials said. The volume of voters stays roughly the same all day long, Combs noted.

This is the first time early voting has been allowed in a presidential election year. Advanced voting continues through 5 p.m. Friday, which is also the final day to mail absentee ballots.

On Tuesday, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Fayette County’s 36 precincts.

Including “inactive” voters who haven’t voted in recent elections, Fayette County has 67,172 voters who are eligible to vote in the election, Combs said. Of those, 6,130 are technically inactive although they can still vote, Combs added.

Traditionally, more than 80 percent of Fayette’s registered voters turn out to cast ballots in presidential elections and that statistic is expected to be no different next week, especially given the bitterness of the 2004 presidential campaign.

In the final days of campaigning, supporters of both President Bush and his Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry, rallied in Fayette County last weekend.

About 200 Kerry fans turned out for a rally at McCurry Park in Fayetteville sponsored by the grassroots group Fayette for Kerry.

Karen Kilgo, director of Fayette for Kerry, said the group of 80 volunteers has been actively campaigning for the Massachusetts senator since the primary last July.

“I’ve been absolutely thrilled with the outpouring of support that Sen. Kerry has been receiving in Fayette County,” Kilgo said. “I remember a time when people didn’t believe that there were 80 Democrats in Fayette County, and now we have that number actively campaigning.”

Kilgo said her organization had been deluged with requests for Kerry-Edwards yard signs, bumper stickers and buttons.

Earlier Saturday afternoon, some high-profile Republicans on a tour of the metro area made a stop at the gazebo at Heritage Park in downtown Fayetteville.

The “Securing Georgia’s Future Tour” included U.S. representatives Johnny Isakson and John Linder, as well as state Senate Majority Leader Bill Stephens and Public Service Commissioner Bobby Baker.

The caravan made stops in Sandy Springs, Marietta, Woodstock, Cumming and Lawrenceville in addition to Fayetteville.

“Politics is a team sport and we’ve got a great Republican team here in Georgia,” said Alex Poitevint, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party. “Getting out and meeting the voters is what winning elections is all about.”

Supporters of a $65 million bond referendum to fund school construction in Fayette began plastering the county late last week with signs urging voters to pass the measure. They’ve also taken out ads in local newspapers and written letters to the editor outlining details of the proposal.

Should voters approve the bond, the Board of Education intends to build one new middle school and two new elementary schools, and make additions and improvements to several other schools.