While Saturday is the deadline to register to vote in theNovember general election, local election officials urge potentialvoters to do so by Friday.

Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Terry Lynn Watkins said her officewill not be open Saturday. Her office will close for the weekend at5 p.m. Friday.

“We won’t be open that Saturday. It’s not required,” she said.”We tried that for many years and no one would ever show, so wereceived permission to discontinue that service.”

The Lawrence County office will be open 9 a.m.-noon Saturday toaccommodate those registering just ahead of the deadline, saidLawrence County Circuit Clerk Cindy Stokes.

“We’ve received numerous phone calls from people wanting to makesure we were going to open that day, so we’re expecting severalpeople,” she said.

Voters may still register after Saturday but will not be able tovote in the November election, Stokes said.

Federal offices on the ballot include president and U.S.representative.

Local offices in Lincoln County on the ballot include allelection commissioners and the District Five school boardmember.

Lawrence County races on the ballot include all five electioncommissioners and school board member positions in Districts Oneand Two. In addition, special elections for school board memberDistrict Three and constable Post Two are also on the ballot.

This year’s election also includes a proposed stateconstitutional amendment, House Concurrent Resolution 56, whichwould define marriage as the union of a man and a woman andprohibit the state from recognizing same-sex marriages performedelsewhere.

The amendment needs a majority of “yes” votes to be added to theMississippi Constitution.