More than 20 percent of Craven, Pamlico voters have cast ballots

Nearly 23 percent of the registered voters in Craven County and 24 percent of those in Pamlico County have already cast their 2008 election ballots.

By just after 5 p.m. Friday, 15,561 Craven County voters had cast their ballots, said Tonya Pitts, elections director.

The total includes 3,586 mailed-in absentee ballots and 11,875 ballots from voters using the county's five one-stop early voting sites.

"I think these numbers are absolutely awesome," she said. "Numbers like these are what every election director wants."

Pamlico director Lisa Bennett said 2,127 voters there had used the one-stop early voting sites at the Pamlico County Courthouse and Grantsboro Town Hall. An additional  176 have mailed in absentee votes.

 "There is someone usually voting but there hasn't been a wait," Bennett said. "We haven't had a line but it has been steady."

She advised voters in Pamlico: "If they have made their mind up the best thing to do is come on in and vote."

Pamlico County residents may register and vote early at either of the early voting sites in the county from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Craven County voters may register and vote early from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at any of the county's one-stop voting sites. They are at the Craven County Administration Building in New Bern, No. 7 Township Fire and Rescue in James City, West Craven Performing Arts Center in Vanceboro, Cove City Volunteer Fire Department, and Havelock-Craven County Public Library.