Absentee voting, according to Warren County Circuit Clerk Jan Hyland Daigre, was quite brisk leading up to Tuesday’s runoff election. People wanting to vote absentee had until Saturday to do so.

“We’ve been busy with absentees,” Daigre said Monday.

As of Monday at 2 p.m., her office had received 848 absentee ballots.

“That’s a pretty big number,” Daigre said.

There is one slight change voters who cast ballots at the International Paper precinct need to be aware of, according to Daigre. Voters will use the old Vickswood Credit Union building due to a conflict with usage of the regular building. According to Daigre, voters will take the first entrance into the plant instead of the second entrance.

“My office sent out notifications to those voters of the change and there will be signs indicating the right location on the plant site,” Daigre said. “It should be pretty seamless.”

Daigre reminds voters to be sure and bring their photo ID.

“We encourage voters to get out there and vote,” Daigre said.

Free ride to the polls

The Vicksburg chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., will be offering voters within the city limits of Vicksburg a ride to the polls Tuesday.

“Voting is one of the most important rights that we have, so not having transportation to get there shouldn’t be a barrier,” Otis Stamps, Vicksburg Alumni Polemarch, said. “It is an honor that we can serve our community by providing these free rides. One of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.’s objectives is to inspire service in the public interest. This is just one way that we can fulfill this objective.”

The free rides will be provided from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. by calling 601-750-0791.

More than senate race

The runoff race that has drawn the most attention is the only unresolved U.S. Senate race in the nation when Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith faces Democrat Mike Espy.

Hyde-Smith was appointed to serve temporarily when Republican Sen. Thad Cochran retired in April. The runoff winner in the special election gets the final two years of the term.

Besides the crucial U.S. Senate race, Warren County voters will also help decide two state races on the ballot.

Deborah McDonald of Fayette led the Nov. 6 race in the District 2 Court of Appeals, which stretches through 24 counties and includes Warren County. She will face runner-up Eric Hawkins of Greenville.

The winner, who is replacing retiring judge Tyree Irving, will get an eight-year term on the 10-member court.

Meanwhile, voters in the Moose, Goodrum and Yokena precincts will help decide the Mississippi House District 85 seat.

JoAnn Collins-Smith and Jeffery Harness emerged from a group of four candidates in the special race that includes parts of Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson and Warren counties. The winner will succeed America “Chuck” Middleton, who resigned in late August.

Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and will close at 7 p.m.