It’s a good problem to have, electionofficials say.

    Election commissioners and circuit clerk officials were workingTuesday morning to get more voter access cards to certain precinctsafter high morning turnout was reported.

    In addition to state races, voters are casting their ballots forstate senator, state representative, circuit clerk, chancery clerk,sheriff, tax assessor/collector, supervisors in District One,District Three, and District Five, Post One and Post Two justicecourt judges and constable Post Two.

    The abundance of county races, plus the statewide races likegovernor and the three ballot initiatives meant a strong morningturnout.

    “I have heard of very long lines at Arlington and West Lincoln,”said District Four Election Commissioner Janie Sisco.

    Officials reported that all precincts had the appropriate number ofvoter access cards, but Sisco sought to get extra access cards tohigh-traffic precincts to speed voting along.

    Voters were also standing in long lines at the Halbert Heightsprecinct.

    “We really need more machines at this precinct,” said BonitaBullock, a Halbert Heights poll worker.

    At approximately 8:20 a.m., 70 votes had been recorded at HalbertHeights, with other voters still in line.

    In a spot check of precincts Tuesday morning, Halbert Heights ledthe way in vote totals, as it did during morning checks in theAugust primary.

    At approximately 8 a.m., 16 had voted at the Government Complexprecinct and 37 at the Ole Brook precinct.

    At Ole Brook, one of the four machines was temporarily down earlyin the morning. Repairs brought it back into service by the middleof the morning, though.

    By 8:15 a.m., records at the City Hall precinct showed 18 votes.Around 8:30 a.m. the Northwest Brookhaven precinct had seen 22voters.

    The circuit clerk’s office reported that by the end of absenteevoting on Saturday, the office had distributed 1,000 absenteeballots.

    The final number of absentee ballots will be somewhat less thanthat, though. That number includes absentee ballots sent out bymail and some of those were not sent back in by the Mondaydeadline.

    A total count of all absentee ballots received was not availableTuesday morning.

    Observers from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office will beobserving Lincoln County elections today at the request of LincolnCounty Republican Party Chairman John Roberts. Observers were alsopresent during the August primary and run-off elections at Roberts’prompting.

    The observers will ensure proper procedures are followed and takenote of any irregularities.