Almost 4,000 Bulloch County residents had cast in-person ballots as of 2 p.m. Friday during the first week of early voting for the Jan. 5, 2021 runoff.

Bulloch County Election Supervisor Patricia Lanier Jones said 3,946 total votes were cast since Monday – 3,077 at the Elections Office in the County Annex and 869 in the three days voting was available at the Honey Bowen Building.

In-person early voting for the runoff actually outpaced the first week of in-person early voting for the presidential contest by more than 1,000 votes. There were 2,923 in-person votes the week of Oct. 12-16, compared to 3,946 this week.

Including absentee ballots, 7,194 Bulloch voters had voted by Friday afternoon, which is about 15% of registered county voters.

Bulloch turnout is about the same as state turnout. According to the U.S. Elections Project, 1,123,095 registered Georgia voters had cast ballots either in person or absentee at 2 p.m. Friday, a 14.7% turnout rate.

The annex will be open for voting on Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Early voting at the annex will be available 8 a.m.-5 p.m. next week Monday-Wednesday, Dec. 21-23, and Monday-Thursday, Dec. 28-31.

There will be no in-person voting Monday, Jan. 4.

Bulloch County registered voters who do not take advantage of early or absentee voting can vote at their assigned place in the county’s 16 traditional voting precincts on Tuesday, Jan. 5, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The ballot includes just three contests.

The runoff between Republican incumbent David Perdue and Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff is for a full six-year term in the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, Republican appointed incumbent Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock are in a runoff to complete the remainder of what was U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term, through 2022, since he retired at the end of 2019.

Georgia voters also will decide between Republican Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr. and Democrat Daniel Blackman for the seat McDonald holds on the state Public Service Commission.

Absentee ballots

Meanwhile, mailed-out absentee ballots are available by request, and the local elections staff has already mailed 6,193 of them, Jones said in an email Friday afternoon.

Jones said 3,248 ballots had been returned as of Friday and 2,945 were still outstanding.

Absentee ballots can be mailed out to voters through Dec. 31. In order to be counted, an absentee ballot must arrive back at the election office or in one of its drop boxes before 7 p.m. Jan. 5.

To fill out an absentee ballot request online, go to www.securevotega.com/secureabsentee. Or to print a ballot request form, visit www.mvp.sos.ga.gov and then submit the completed form to the local elections office by mail, fax or email.

Or contact the office about your ballot request. Its address is Bulloch County Board of Elections & Registration; 113 North Main St., Suite 201; Statesboro, GA 30458. The office’s phone number is (912) 764-6502, and its fax number is (912) 764-8167. Its emails are elections@bullochcounty.net and voterregistrar@bullochcounty.net.

The statewide My Voter Page, www.mvp.sos.ga.gov, also provides a way to check if your absentee ballot has been accepted after you return it.

Drop boxes

The drop boxes are at the same locations that were used for the November general election.

The indoor drop box is locked down on a table inside the back entrance of the Bulloch County Annex in the elections office area, 113 N. Main. St. This box will be available 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The freestanding outdoor drop box is located in the parking area of the same complex, but behind the North Main Annex, 115 N. Main St., near the cell tower. This drop box is available for deposit of ballots 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It is secured to the concrete pavement, and both drop boxes are under continuous video surveillance.