From the left, Tonita Scott and Flo Sellers are the first stop at the polls. Early voting started Monday, Oct. 16, at the Colquitt County Courthouse Annex. Both of the ladies have been working the polls for several years.

MOULTRIE — Monday was the first day of early voting for the Nov. 7 special and municipal elections.

At around 3 p.m., there had been a total of nine voters for the day, said Paula McCullough, chief registrar for Colquitt County.

The special election includes all voters in Colquitt County. It is a vote of “yes” or “no” on the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). The current SPLOST is set to expire at the end of 2024, and local leaders have asked for a new SPLOST to replace it. The 1% sales tax is intended for various construction projects and equipment purchases for the county, local municipalities and local authorities.

The Moultrie municipal election is for the District 1, Post 1 city council position with two candidates, Jeron Odell Bridges and Eddie Warren, facing-off against incumbent Lisa Clarke Hill.

In Ellenton, Post 6 incumbent Kathy Branch and opponent Jeff Baker are facing each other.

Other council seats in both Moultrie and Ellenton had only one qualifying candidate each.

Early voting will continue through Nov. 3, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Colquitt County Courthouse Annex, on the second floor, in Room 201. Saturday voting will be held at the annex on Oct. 21 and 28.

On Election Day, voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the individual precincts.