With 443 voting Monday, the total for early voting in Hopkins County continues to rise. Add to that total the 789 ballots received by mail thus far and early voting this year has already reached over 5,000 votes cast.
Debbie Shirley, Hopkins County Clerk, said her office sent out 960 requests for ballots by mail this year. Ballots by mail are available for those over 65-years of age. Shirley, who has served the county in four terms of office, did not seek re-election this term year.
Early voting continues in the Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 Courtroom. Early voting will also be available through November 2nd from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each weekday with the exception of Tuesday and Thursday when early ballots may be cast from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Debbie Shirley reminds voters to, please, when you enter early voting, you will receive a ticket with a code that brings up the correct ballot style for the voter’s precincts on the voting machine. Do not leave the early voting place until you have cast your ballot on a voting machine. You vote will not be valid until you see a flag at the end of your voting time. When you have voted, a review ballot summary will appear. Pressing the button to verify the summary will then bring up a second verification, “Yes, I want to cast my ballot.” When you have pressed that button, a flag will appear than that will verify to you that the vote has been counted. 
