About 2.7% of Bulloch County’s registered voters cast ballots in the first 13 days of early voting leading up to Georgia’s March 12 presidential preference primary.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, the cumulative turnout of 1,363 ballots included those cast electronically by 1,284 in-person voters at the county elections office and 79 absentee ballots returned. Dividing the total ballots cast by the total of 50,740 registered voters, as reported by Elections Supervisor Shontay Jones, gives the percentage.

In-person early voting remains available in the elections office at the County Annex, 113 North Main St., Suite 201, Statesboro, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily until 5 p.m. Friday, March 8, when it must end.

As mandated in state law, early voting will have been open for three five-day weeks plus two Saturdays. In Bulloch County, 45 voters cast ballots the first Saturday, Feb. 24, and 63 voted the second Saturday, March 2.

Last Friday, March 1, was the deadline to request paper absentee ballots, so only those already mailed out can still be voted. But they are to be counted if returned to the election headquarters by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, March 12. All 16 traditional Bulloch County voting precincts will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. that day.

Voters participating in the presidential preference primary must choose a Democratic Party or a Republican Party ballot, but the choice does not bind them in the May 21 state, county and congressional primary or for any subsequent election.

Although many candidates have suspended their campaigns, none have officially withdrawn. In Georgia, there are three presidential candidates on the Democratic ballot and 11 candidates on the Republican ballot.