During the last presidential election in 2016, the Lamar County Circuit Clerk’s office saw 1,900 absentee ballots, while the Forrest County Circuit Clerk’s office handled 1,826 absentees.
Those numbers will be more than doubled this year, as Forrest County voters have turned in 4,594 absentees for the Nov. 3 general election, slightly ahead of Lamar County’s 4,000. The cutoff date for in-person ballots was 5 p.m. Oct. 31, although officials will still be taking mail-in absentee ballots up to five business days after the election.
“Elections in the past, absentees are an indication of how busy Election Day is going to be,” Lamar County Circuit Clerk Martin Hankins said. “So if that’s any indication, I’m expecting an extremely busy day (Nov. 3) and a great turnout.”
Officials will be able to start counting ballots as they come in after the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. Because of the large number of absentees, however, it’s unclear whether the counting process will be finished that night or last throughout the next day or later.
“My hope, probably along with every other clerk, is that we’re able to get everything done (that) night,” Hankins said. “Barring no issues, or any major issues, we hope we’ll be able to achieve that.
“But we’ll see how the process goes, as far as when and how many, and we’ll get counted all we can (on Nov. 3).”
Forrest County Circuit Clerk Gwen Wilks said the count may very well go into the next day.
“I think more people are ready for changes,” she said. “I think it’s the presidential race (that has brought so many absentees).”
Hankins also attributed the large absentee count, in large part, to the national attention that comes with any presidential election.
“That draws a lot of interest from every citizen, which it should,” Hankins said. “I think that’s the leading factor, and my hope in all of this – and what I see – is that more people get involved in the elections, and make it a priority to go and vote.
“That’s what men and women are doing overseas, fighting for our country right now, so they can give us that freedom and that right.”
