Hall County voters are off to a steady start in choosing their presidential nominee.

A total of 3,126 have cast ballots in early voting for the presidential preference primary, according to Hall County Elections Director Charlotte Sosebee.

Of those, 511 voted Friday, the last day to vote before Tuesday's primary. Also on the ballot are two questions about Sunday package sales and Sunday liquor by the drink sales in unincorporated areas of Hall County.

"Today has been one of our best days," Sosebee said shortly before voting ended. "I had projected that we'd have at least 500 today, just today, and I think we are at like 437 at 4 o'clock, so I feel good."

Overall, early voting has gone smoothly, she said. The office introduced a new Easy Vote process that allowed voters to have their IDs scanned rather than having to fill out an application. They then had to simply sign their name and check their party. That new technology won't be available at polling places yet, though.

Sosebee said the office averaged 250 voters a day during the last week, not including Friday. And on a special Saturday voting day, 92 came to cast ballots. Though the number was small, Sosebee said she got rave reviews on having the Saturday option available.

Of 697 absentee ballots mailed out, Sosebee said 503 were returned as of Friday.

Compared to the last presidential election, early voting numbers are down slightly, by about 150 voters.

Sosebee predicted a 42 percent turnout for Tuesday.
Statewide, more than 140,000 residents had cast early ballots as of Thursday.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp's office reports that 116,800 people had walked into polling stations by the close of business Thursday.

In addition, 24,246 people have mailed in absentee ballots. There are still 11,994 residents who requested absentee ballots that have not yet been received by local election officials.