By Kim Cotton

Staff writer

FORT PIERCE - With the general election only weeks away, the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections is trying to let voters know how easy it is to vote.

Gertrude Walker, the elections supervisor, said residents can vote early if they cannot make it to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7.

"Early voting has increased voter turnout," Mrs. Walker said. "It's very popular in other states, so our legislature and elected officials decided to do it because it makes it easier to vote, so voters will turn out."

Early voting in St. Lucie County takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 23 through Nov. 4. There are four locations, two in Fort Pierce and two in Port St. Lucie, where residents can cast their vote during that time.

If a resident cannot get to the polls during early voting or on Election Day, he or she can request to vote by absentee ballot.

According to the supervisor of elections' Web site, residents can request an absentee ballot by telephone, fax, e-mail, postal mail or in person. A request for the ballot to be mailed must be made no later than 5 p.m. on the sixth day before the election.

Ballots are available as early as 25 days before the election.

Since former representative Mark Foley resigned his position and dropped out of the race for the U.S. Congressional District 16 last month, the ballots still have his name on it. Running in his place is Joe Negron, a Republican from Stuart.

Because voters may be confused about who they are voting for, there will be a notice at the registration table at each poll to let voters know that a vote for Mr. Foley will instead be a vote for Mr. Negron. The notice will also state that a vote for the other two candidates, Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, and Emmie Ross, NPA-Port St. Lucie, will be a vote for them.

"It's there so the poll workers can refer to it if there are any questions," Ms. Walker said.

The ballots could not be changed because of election laws, which require ballots to be sent to members of the military who are overseas. The ballots have to be mailed at least 35 days before the election.

"After the state certifies the candidates on the ballot, we send it to the printer," Ms. Walker said.

She added that there are only a few printers who handle election ballots for the entire country, which makes it difficult to change the text once the ballot is there.

The main message Ms. Walker wants residents to hear is the importance of voting, and that her office has worked to give voters many options to do their civic duty.

"We want to encourage people to get out and vote," Ms. Walker said. "There's no excuse. It's very easy to vote."

For more information, visit the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections' Web site at www.slcelections.com.