Commission sets hours for early voting

The Dyer County Election Commission set early voting hours for the county at a brief lunch meeting on Monday.

Early voting will take place at the Election Commission office Friday, July 18 through Saturday, Aug. 2, and at locations throughout the county the week before the Aug. 4 election.

For voters in Dyer County who wish to cast their ballots early, five sites will be available for early voting:

* The Election Commission office -- early voting available Friday, July 18 through Saturday, Aug. 2, with polls open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturdays.

* The Dyersburg Mall -- early polls open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday, July 28 through Friday, Aug. 1.

* Oakview Recreation Center in Newbern -- early polls open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday, July 28 through Friday, Aug. 1.

* Finley Baptist Church -- early polls open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 30 through Friday, Aug. 1.

* RoEllen Baptist Church -- early polls open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 30 through Friday, Aug. 1.

Jane Heathcott of the Election Commission told members of the committee that employees and volunteers are currently readying the electronic voting machines.

"We are almost through checking machines," said Heathcott. "They have all been downloaded. (Then) it takes five hours to check each one."

Heathcott said that she expects the machines to be ready for inspection by party chairmen next Wednesday.

"We will have the machines opened up to see that nobody has voted on them," said Heathcott. "The chairman of each party will seal them up and (they will be) locked up until the election."

After the business portion of the meeting, commissioners followed Heathcott upstairs for a tour of a new storage room where supplies, records and old books are being organized and stored.