Tuesday’s start of early voting in Hunt County for the March 4 political party primary elections saw more than 600 ballots cast, one of the busiest first days of primary early voting ever seen locally.
The total ballots received came in a little under the total from two years ago. Given that all of the contested races in Hunt County were included under the Republican Party primary ballot, it was understandable that most of the ballots were for the GOP candidates.
Early voting for the Democratic and Republican political party primary elections will continue between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays through February 28 at the Hunt County Voter Administration Office, 2217 Washington Street in Greenville.
Hunt County Elections Administrator Mina Cook said 336 people voted in person Tuesday for the Republican primary election, with another 238 ballots by mail received, for a total of 576 GOP ballots.
There were 30 people voting in person Tuesday for the Democratic Party primary, with 2 ballots by mail received, for a total of 608 ballots cast Tuesday.
In 2012, when the primaries were conducted in May, 370 people voted in person for the Republican primary, with 212 mail-in ballots received, while 29 people voted in person for the Democratic Party primary, with 11 mail-in ballots received.
The 682 total ballots cast two years ago is believed to be a record for the first day of early voting for a primary in Hunt County and compares to 361 early votes cast during the first day for the 2010 primaries, 507 total votes during the presidential election in 2008 and 181 early ballots cast during the first day of early voting in 2006.
There were 127 ballots cast on the first day of early voting in the 2004 primaries and 97 ballots cast on the first day of early voting for the 2002 primaries.