Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7 p.m.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Voters turned out early to cast ballots on a proposed sales tax to benefit transportation projects — twice the number of a similar vote in March.

“It was more than we expected,” Colquitt County Voter Registrar Paula McCullough said Monday, “(but) it still wasn’t a huge number.”

In three weeks of early voting, 481 people cast ballots in her office, McCullough said, and she has received an additional seven absentee ballots by mail.

During a similar period that ended March 17, 244 people cast early ballots and three sent in absentee ballots, McCullough said at that time.

Tuesday is the official election day, with polls being open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. throughout the county. Votes — including early votes — will be counted Tuesday evening and results posted to The Observer’s website as soon as they’re available.

The election in March featured only one question — a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax decision — and the current election is the same way, asking voters their preference on a new sales tax.

In March, voters approved an extension of a 1 percent SPLOST that would collect money for a variety of projects in the county, each local municipality, Colquitt Regional Medical Center and the Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority. It was a vote to continue with a 7-cent-per-dollar sales tax rate. It will begin when the current tax expires at the end of the year, and it will last for six years.

The tax now under consideration by voters is a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, often shortened to TSPLOST. It would add an additional penny per dollar, raising sales taxes to 8 cents per dollar, and the money raised would go specifically toward transportation projects for those same entities plus the Airport Authority. If approved, collections will start April 1 and will last for five years.

Three Colquitt County municipalities are also holding city elections Tuesday, with polls open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. These elections are separate from the county election and are held in different places.

In Berlin, voters will choose between incumbent Mayor Mark Bridwell and a challenger, Reggie Merritt. Voting will take place at Berlin City Hall.

Doerun’s mayor’s seat has been vacant since the death of George Saunders. Running to fill it are Michael Campbell and Larry Brady. Voting will take place in the Doerun City Council chambers.

Voters in Moultrie’s District 1 — which includes all of Northwest Moultrie and part of Southwest Moultrie —  will choose between incumbent Susie Magwood-Thomas and the Rev. Cornelius Ponder III for the Post 2 city council seat. Two other council members are unopposed for re-election. The city voting will take place at at Shaw Gym, which is also a county polling place, but the county sales tax referendum will be conducted separately there.