Elections board is accepting requests for absentee ballots

The Lincoln County Board of Elections and Registration is currently accepting applications for those wishing to vote absentee in the Presidential Preference Primary set for Tuesday, February 5.

Since Georgia does not register voters by party, the primary is "open," and voters must choose either a Democratic or a Republican ballot.

Presidential candidates appearing on the Democratic ticket are Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis J. Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson.

The Republican ballot is comprised of Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Alan Keyes, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Fred Thompson.

Local residents do not have to provide a reason for requesting an absentee ballot by mail.

Requests for absentee ballots may be made by telephone (1-706-359- 6126) or by written statement. The written statements may either be faxed to 1-706-359-7396; mailed to the elections and registration office at P.O. Box 1419, Lincolnton, Georgia, 30817; or delivered to the elections office located in The Lincoln Center at 160 May Avenue. Elections officials are prohibited from accepting an application for absentee voting by mail that is hand-delivered by the individual in whose name the request is being made.

Applications for absentee ballots must contain the address to which the ballot is to be mailed as well as sufficient information, such as a signature or date of birth, to identify the individual as a registered voter. Electors are likewise asked to include their telephone number.

The deadline for requesting that an absentee ballot be mailed to one's residence is Friday, February 1. All absentee ballots should be returned to the elections and registration office by 5 p.m. Monday, February 4. An absentee ballot may be hand-delivered by a second party only if the voter is disabled.

In addition to voting absentee by mail, citizens may also cast absentee ballots in person at the elections office. However, in order to do so, the elector must provide one of the following reasons:

.. He will be absent from his precinct from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day.

.. He is 75 years of age or older.

.. He has a physical disability which prevents him from voting in person or he is a constant caregiver to a person with a disability.

.. He is an election official.

.. He is observing a religious holiday that prevents him from voting in person.

.. He is required to remain on duty in his precinct for the protection of life, health, or the safety of the public.

Voting absentee in person is not to be confused with advance voting, which takes place the week prior to the election. With advance voting, the elector is not required to give a reason for casting his ballot prior to the primary.

For more information about absentee voting or the election process in general, call the elections and registration office at 706-359-6126.