Polls open at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7

POLK COUNTY – Registered voters in the Towns of Columbus and Tryon and City of Saluda have until Saturday, Nov. 4 to vote early.

Early voting for the 2017 municipal elections ends at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Polk County Board of Elections.

Early voting began on Oct. 19, with minimal voting being done as of Thursday, Nov. 2 at 12:30 p.m.

There were 46 votes cast in the Town of Columbus as of Thursday; 27 votes cast in Saluda and 82 votes in Tryon, according to the Polk County Board of Elections Office.

During the 2015 municipal election, Columbus council candidates won with 42 and 39 votes while the uncontested Columbus Mayor had 44 votes.

In the 2015 Saluda race, council candidates won with 136 and 110 votes.

In the 2015 Tryon race, the mayor won with 184 votes and council candidates won with 215 and 147 votes.

Polls open Tuesday, Nov. 7 on General Election Day in Polk County as well as Landrum.

Polls in Polk County will be open on Tuesday from 6:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Columbus voters can vote on Tuesday at Columbus Town Hall, Saluda voters can vote at the Saluda Fire Department and Tryon voters can vote at the Harmon Field Cabin.

Early voting through Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. can only be done at the Polk County Board of Elections Office, located in the Womack building in Columbus.

Voters will choose mayors and council members for each town. There are races in every town for council members and for Saluda and Tryon mayors.

Incumbent Columbus Mayor Eric McIntyre is the only uncontested elected official in the race this year in Polk County.

Town of Columbus

There are six candidates to fill three council seats. Incumbents Mark Phillips and Richard Hall are being challenged by Ernie Kan, Brent Jackson, Marshall “Buddy” Watkins and Robert Williamson.

City of Saluda

There will be races for both mayor and council in Saluda. Incumbent Saluda Mayor Fred Baisden is being challenged by Heath Potter. For council, incumbents Carolyn Ashburn and Mark Oxtoby are being challenged by Paul Marion and Teddy Stevens.

Town of Tryon

Tryon will also have races for its mayor, council and a special council seat left vacant by former commissioner Roy Miller, who resigned in June. The special seat will be for a two-year term that will end in 2019.

Incumbent Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples is being challenged by Jerry Thomas. Incumbent commissioner Bill Ingham is running along with commissioner Bill Crowell, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat in 2015. Crowell and Ingham are being challenged by Helen Ringus.

The other open seat in Tryon has Chrelle Booker, who was appointed to fill the seat until the election, as well as John Fowler.

Sample ballots can be found at polknc.org under the board of elections tab.