COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Early voting is underway as residents look to elect a new school board member to represent district seven in a special election.

Candidates Laketha Ashe and Pat Frey are running for the school board seat vacated by Cathy Williams after she was appointed to the Georgia Department of Transportation Board.

Click here to view the interactive map.

Early voting began just after Memorial Day. Eight days into early voting – the Elections Office reports drastically low numbers.

“Most local elections that are special elections and district only elections are typically a very low turnout,” said Muscogee County Director of Elections, Nancy Boren. “We had one for school board District two, and that whole race was decided with less than 1,500 votes. We have about 14,000 people who are eligible to vote in this election. And so far, we’ve had less than 30.”

Here are upcoming important dates regarding the special election:

  • Tuesday, May 30 – Friday, June 9
    • 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Saturday, June 3 and June 10
    • 9 am – 5 pm
  • Monday, June 12 – Friday, June 16
    • 8:30 am – 6 pm
  • Election Day: Tuesday, June 20

For those of you who requested an absentee ballot by mail, you will be unable to deliver that ballot to the election’s office the day before the election due to the federal holiday, Juneteenth.
The last day to request an absentee ballot is Friday, June 9.

Voters can visit Georgia’s My Voter Page to look up their school board district in order to vote in the special election. Voters can also call the Elections Office at 706-653-4392.