LUMBERTON — As of Monday afternoon, early voting for municipal elections in Robeson County had gotten off to a strong start in two contested Lumberton precincts and in Red Springs, Fairmont and Maxton, according to poll watchers.

“We’ve had 597 votes cast so far,” poll worker Kelly Lesane said as voters trickled in at the Robeson County Board of Elections office in Lumberton.

Early voting started on Thursday at the Board of Elections. Election Day is Nov. 7.

Veteran poll worker Dina Jo Locklear said turnout is fairly strong for an off-year election.

“Pretty strong,” said Monte McCallum, an incumbent and a candidate for a seat on Fairmont’s Board of Commissioners. “I expect 700 to 1,000 voters altogether in Fairmont.”

Five candidates are running for three seats in Fairmont and there is a contested mayoral race. No other Fairmont candidates were at the polls because they were concentrating on hauling in voters during early voting.

Lumberton Precincts 5 and 8 appear to be closely contested, and all five candidates were on hand Monday afternoon.

“I would say this is an excellent turnout,” said Precinct 8 incumbent Erich Hackney. “We counted 80 voters on Thursday and Friday and another 22 or 23 today. Our precinct is not an early voting precinct traditionally.”

Owen Thomas, Hackney’s opponent, counted 110 voters in Precinct 8 altogether.

“I’ll be here every day,” Thomas said. “We’re working hard.”

Lumberton Precinct 5 incumbent John Cantey expected as many as 400 votes to be cast in his race, depending on how many displaced flood victims are able to vote. Much of his precinct is in South Lumberton, which was hit hard by Hurricane Matthew and many homes remain vacant.

“Voting has been pretty strong so far with 154 voters,” Cantey said. “It will dry up from now until Election Day.”

Cantey’s opponent James Worley said he is working hard during early voting.

“We’re pushing, knocking on doors and getting the word out,” said Worley, who last week was declared eligible to run for Precinct 5 when the Board of Elections dismissed a residency challenge by Cantey.. “I counted 130 voters so far.”

Sammy Love, the third candidate in the race for Precinct 5, also was in attendance Monday.

Early voting in the municipal elections is limited to the Robeson County Elections Office, which is at 800 N. Walnut St. in Lumberton.

Ballots can be cast from 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. every weekday until Nov. 3. The last day of early voting is Nov. 4, a Saturday, when the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is the only Saturday that early voting will be available.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Oct. 31. The deadline to submit an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Nov. 7, the day of the election.

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7.

There are elections in all of the county’s municipalities.

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By Scott Bigelow

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Reach Scott Bigelow at 910-816-1989.