Early voting increasingly popular in Williamson County

MARION - There's an old joke about Chicago politics, "Vote early and vote often!"

And while the joke implies that one should vote often in the same election, that is illegal and certainly not acceptable anywhere in the state.

You are, however, offered a voting option these days that earlier generations were not privy to, and that's early voting.

Williamson County Clerk Amanda Barnes said that this option continues to gain in popularity with each election cycle.

"Oh, yes it's really picking up over the past few years," she said. "Early voting begins 40 days prior to an election. Besides our normal weekday office hours, about a month before an election, we are open weekends and are open on Friday nights until 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon."

Barnes added that early voting is allowed right up to Election Day Eve, Monday, April 1.

Among those casting their ballots early this past week was Gary Boles of Marion, joining hundreds of other area residents taking advantage of the early-voting option.

"This is my first year to do early voting, but I like it! You never know what might come up on Election Day itself," he said.