Primary to determine superintendent of schools and two county commissioners

The Aug. 26 Primary will determine the Walton County Superintendent of Schools and commissioners for Districts 3 and 5. All parties are allowed to vote in these races because all the candidates belong to the same party. The school board races are non-partisan and all parties can participate in them.

"We encourage people to vote and to study the candidates and issues," said Bobby Beasley, Supervisor of Elections. "Many, many times one vote made all the difference in the world."

Early voting is available Aug. 11-23 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday at the county election offices, at the courthouse in DeFuniak Springs or in South Walton. Voting machines compliant with the American Disabilities Act are available by request.

Registered voters or their family members may request an absentee ballot from the offices of the Supervisor of Elections. The deadline to receive requests for absentee ballots is Aug. 20 at 5 p.m. The last date to mail the ballots is Aug. 22.

Absentee ballots must be returned to the Supervisor of Election's office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, not the polling place. The signature on file must match with the signature on the ballot or it will be rejected as invalid, according to LaJuana Rinker, deputy supervisor.

The last primary in 2006 had a low turnout rate of 25.4 percent, with less than 4,000 people participating countywide. Absentee votes accounted for more than 10 percent of the total cast and early voters accounted for almost 14 percent.

"Normally primaries do not have as great of a turnout as the presidential elections," said Beasley. "We had a really good turnout in the last presidential elections with about 74 percent."

Overseas voters may request their ballots be sent through emails and can either fax or mail back the completed ballots, however the deadline to mail ballots to overseas voters ended July 22.

A total of 1,234 absentee requests have been received for this year's election, compared to 400 in the 2006 primary.

"Your vote is your voice in government and you need to execute that right whenever you can," said Beasley.