By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County’s only early voting site open Thursday attracted 874 voters, an especially high number for a mid-term election.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
“Unreal,” said Connie Kelly, director of elections for Richmond County. “It makes it worthwhile. It’s disturbing when people don’t turn out to vote.”
The turnout is nearly four times the number of first-day early voters from the 2010 mid-term election. Then, 222 people turned out on the first day.
Dan Moody, of the Richmond County Republican Party, was encouraged by the turnout and pointed to two issues — Democratic incumbent Sen. Gene McLaurin and Republican challenger Tom McInnis for the District 25 seat and the sales tax referendum — that must have helped.
“Everybody knows one or the other,” Moody said of the two senatorial candidates, both Richmond County natives. “I only hope it continues (and that) it’s not a one-day spurt.”
There are 30,530 registered voters in Richmond County, including 61 percent Democrats.
Early voting continues Friday:
* At the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Office, 123 Caroline St., Rockingham, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the on the following days of early voting: Oct. 24, Oct. 27, Oct. 28, Oct. 29, Oct. 30 and Oct. 31.
* At Cole Auditorium in Hamlet and at Ellerbe Town Hall, 108 W. Page St., Ellerbe, early voting will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 31 and from 9 a.m .to 1 p.m. Nov. 1.
