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It’s finally time for me to vote. I love early voting. It allows me to go vote when it is convenient for me. I used to vote on election day but found it a struggle to get to the polls when I was working.

I always wondered, how many people didn’t vote on election day because they were working and never found the time to do it? Well, it’s not an excuse anymore.  

Each year, candidates hang out at early voting and are available to talk to the voters if they so choose. This doesn’t include the up-ballot candidates like the president but many of the locals will be there. Talk to them; most don’t bite.

This year there are two full-time early voting sites. They are located at the Board of Elections at 1308 Highland Drive in Washington and Chocowinity Fire Department at 512 NC Highway 33 East in Chocowinity.  

Having two full-time sites has made it tougher on the candidates. Up to this year, there was only one. The candidates will need to split their time between the two sites to be exposed to as many voters as is possible. A smart candidate will have a supporter at the site when they’re not available.

Early voting starts Thursday, Oct. 17. The site hours are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The last day of early voting is on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Part time sites include the Aurora Community Center and John A. Wilkinson Center in Belhaven. The site hours are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. They will also be open Saturday, Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This leaves lots of early voting opportunities for everyone who desires to vote. I believe it might be the most extensive early voting opportunities we have ever had. Most of the voters know who they are going to vote for but many don’t.

A listing of all the candidates running in Beaufort County can be found on the Beaufort County Board of Elections Website. It includes the candidate’s name, address, and email address for each office being contested and district, if applicable.

I highly recommend emailing each candidate you are interested in. More than likely you will get an answer. If you have any questions, ask them. Request candidate information if available.

Many candidates, have websites that can easily be found on the Internet. They are worth looking at. Most candidates have Facebook pages that also provide valuable information. Maybe you can become a friend.

Both the Republicans and Democrats have a local headquarters in Washington. They have information on most of their party’s candidates and may have signs available to put in your yard.

Most people have already gotten mailers from candidates. They are mostly for the race for president but you will get others. Read the local ones closely and think about whether what they are saying makes sense or not. It’s good to be informed, particularly about offices you may not be familiar with.  

Well, I think I will go out and vote tomorrow.

Al Klemm is a Washington resident and a former Beaufort County Commissioner.