Just one week into early voting, Polk County already has 1,075 votes cast.

Early one-stop voting began last Thursday and continues until Sat., Oct. 30. Residents may also register to vote when they vote early. No registration will be allowed after early voting stops on Oct. 30.

Polk County Democrats have slightly out-voted other parties so far, with 408 votes cast. As of yesterday morning, Republicans have cast 397 votes, Unaffiliated voters have cast 265 votes and Libertarian voters have cast three votes, according to the Polk County Board of Elections.

Polk County voters will have to turn out in large numbers this year to break the 2008 presidential election early vote totals. In 2008, Polk County voters turned out for early voting in record numbers, with 7,821 voters, or 55 percent of registered voters, going to the polls early.

Early and absentee voting turnout for the last county election, held in 2006, was a record for a non-presidential election in Polk County, with 3,434 early votes and 470 absentee votes, or 27 percent of registered voters.

So far, slightly more than seven percent of registered voters have gone to the polls early.

Early voting can be done in three locations this year. The Polk County Board of Elections, located at 40 Courthouse Street on the second floor of the Womack Building, is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The Mill Spring Fire Department, located at 66 School Road, Mill Spring, is open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Green Creek Family Life Center, located at 25 Shields Drive, Green Creek, is open Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m.

The last day to vote early is Saturday, Oct. 30, when all three Polk locations will be open from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Requests for absentee ballots must be received by Tuesday, Oct. 26. The request must provide the voter’s permanent Polk County address, birthdate and the address to which the absentee ballot should be mailed. Requests for absentee ballots should be mailed to the Polk County Board of Elections, P.O. Box 253, Columbus, N.C. 28722.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2 from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Polk Countys seven polling places.