MACON, Ga. — In-person early voting started in Georgia for the June Primary on Monday.
Though there's concern about the spread of COVID-19, dozens of people trickled into the Macon-Bibb County and Houston County Board of Elections offices throughout the day, ready to cast their ballot in-person.
The state of Georgia is seeing a spike in people voting by absentee ballot. However, others want to vote in-person, like Tracey Batten and Cynthia Bryant, both Macon-Bibb County voters.
"It was very satisfying to cast my vote and making sure it did count," Batten said.
"I just like to vote in person so I can see. I like to see," Bryant said.
These early voters also got the first look at safety precautions taken in polling locations.
"We were all social distancing. There were places marked where we could stand," Batten said. "Gloves, everyone had on their masks, so that was a big, huge change."
Staff is highly recommended to wear masks and gloves, and many voters are choosing to do the same. The Board of Elections is also limiting the amount of people in the voting areas.
"They're not sending no more than four people in there at a time, so when you go in, besides the workers, it seems like you're in there by yourself," Bryant said.
"They gave you a stylus to use so you didn't have to put your finger on anything," said Liz Stoldt, a Houston County voter.
They're also sanitizing those styli after they're used. With all these new changes, the voters we spoke to say they felt safe and the process was easy.
"You were in and out. It was very easy, very streamlined," Stoldt said. "I'm surprised there's not a bigger line."
In-person early voting will continue for three weeks, leading up to the June 9th primary.
According to the Board of Elections offices, as of 4 p.m. on Monday, 307 people cast their ballot in-person in Macon-Bibb County. Meanwhile, in Houston County, only 61 voted early.
As for absentee ballots, Macon-Bibb County has received 8,689 completed ballots as of Friday, May 15 at noon. Houston County has received 7,957 completed absentee ballots.
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