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Highlands Today

Early Voting Starts Monday

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By JIM KONKOLY

Highlands Today

Published: October 18, 2008

SEBRING - With the potential of the hotly contested presidential race drawing a record number of voters to the polls on Nov. 5, Highlands County's Democrat and Republican leaders are urging people to take advantage of early voting, which starts Monday.

Polls will be open from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, starting this Monday and running through Saturday, Nov. 1, at three locations.

Locations for early voting are: the lobby of the Highlands County Government Center, 80 S. Commerce Ave., Sebring; Avon Park City Council Chambers, 123 E. Pine St.; and Lake Placid Town Hall Council Chambers, 51 Park Drive.

All registered voters also have the option of voting by mail, said Norma Stokes, assistant supervisor of elections for Highlands County.

"All you need to do is call our office, 402-6655, and make a request, and we will mail you the ballot with instructions," Stokes said. Mailed in ballots must be received at the elections office by 7 p.m. on Nov. 4.
Highlands County Supervisor of Elections Joe Campbell is predicting a 75 percent turnout of registered voters in this election.

"That would be great," Pat Hogan, county Democratic Party chairman, said about Campbell's prediction. "In the past, the Republicans have turned out more than we have, so we're hoping to keep even with them this year."

Early voting is a great convenience, Hogan said, and he thinks many people will take advantage of it.

"We've been pushing that, especially to all the young people and people who have never voted before, because they will have the freedom not to be in a long line that they might run into on election day."

Asked if he's seen greater interest in this presidential election than past races, Hogan said, "There has been, for us at least. I just know we're busier than we have been in the last two (presidential) elections."

Justine Devlin, chairman of the Highlands County Republican Party, also called early and mail-in voting a great convenience.

"They are so professional in Joe Campbell's office, and anything they can do to help the voters, they do it," she said. "This is accommodating to the voters, it makes it easy for people, it's helpful and it's great."

If voter turnout does reach 75 percent or higher, Devlin said, "that's really healthy; that would be historical."

Devlin said she has seen more interest than usual in this election and hopes "it will ignite people, that they will vote where maybe they hadn't before." She said voting is a right that people shouldn't take for granted.

"There's a lot of people who have shed their blood, our soldiers in wars past and present, so that you and I can have the privilege of voting, which is the greatest gift of a democracy," she said. "And so I hope everybody gets out to vote."

Jim Konkoly can be reached at 863-386-5855 or e-mail jkonkoly@highlandstoday.com

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