Polk County voters who want to get out early to vote can do so beginning next Thursday.

Early one stop voting will be available from Oct. 14 through Oct. 30 in three Polk County locations:

Polk County Elections Office, 40 Courthouse Street, Columbus on the second floor of the Womack Building, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Oct. 30, when hours will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mill Spring Fire Department,&bsp; 66 School Road, Mill Spring, noon to 7 p.m., except on Oct. 30, when hours will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Green Creek Family Life Center, 25 Shields Drive, Green Creek, noon to 7 p.m., except on Oct. 30, when hours will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The last day to register to vote for the general election day on Nov. 2 was Friday. Voters may still register to vote if they participate in early voting prior to casting votes, but will not be able to register to vote on election day.

Tuesday, Oct. 26 is the last day to request mail-in absentee ballots in writing, and Monday, Nov. 1 is the last day for the county board of elections to receive absentee ballots by 5 p.m. Ballots postmarked by the day of the general election and received by 5 p.m. will also be accepted.

Polls will be open for the general election on Nov. 2 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Locally, voters will be choosing three county commissioners, a sheriff, a clerk of court and three school board members.

Running this year for commissioner are incumbents Ray Gasperson (D), Tommy Melton (Unaffiliated), Warren Watson (Unaffiliated) and Margaret Johnson (D), David Moore (R), Ted Owens (R), Tom Pack (R) and Benny Smith (D).

Polk County Sheriff candidates are incumbent Donald Hill (D) and Nathan Shields (R).

Polk County Clerk of Court Charlene Owens is running unopposed.

Polk County School Board candidates are Geoffrey (Geoff) Tennant for Columbus Township, running unopposed; Judy N. Jackson for Cooper Gap Township, running unopposed; Sherry H. Page for Green Creek Township, running unopposed; and James W. (Jim) Cowan&bsp; and Suzanne Metcalf for Tryon Township.

Polk County voters will also be choosing among Elaine Marshall (D), Richard Burr (R) and Michael Beitler (Libertarian) for a U.S. Senate Seat.

The U.S. House of Representatives seat for District 11 will also be on the ballot. Democrat Heath Shuler is facing Republican challenger Jeff Miller.

Chris Dixon (D) faces Tom Apodaca (R) for the N.C. State Senate seat for District 48, and W. David Guide (R) is running unopposed for the N.C. House of Representatives seat for District 113.

District Attorney Jeff Hunt (R) is running unopposed.

A number of judge seats are also at stake in November. For Supreme Court Associate Justice, Polk voters will choose Robert C. (Bob) Hunter or Barbara Jackson.

Four Court of Appeals judge seats are open. Sanford Steelman is running unopposed for one of those seats, Ann Marie Calabria faces Jane Gray for another, Rick Elmore and Steven Walker will compete for another, and Martha Geer faces Dean R. Poirier for the final Court of Appeals seat.

Charles Dean Edwards and J. Richard Smith are competing for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.

Also on the ballot will be a referendum asking voters to choose whether they are for or against a Constitutional amendment providing that no person convicted of a felony may serve as sheriff.

Finally, the ballot will ask voters to indicate their first, second and third choices in case of a runoff for Court of Appeals judge. The candidates are asl follows: John F. Bloss, J. Wesley Casteen, Chris Dillon, Jewel Ann Farlow, Daniel E. Garner, Stan Hammer, Mark E. Klass, Doug McCullough, Anne Middleton, Harry E. Payne Jr., John Sullivan, Cressie Thigpen and Pamela M. Vesper.