CAIRO — Early voting for the June 9 general primary election in Grady County will begin Monday, May 18 at the Grady County Courthouse.

Voting will take place between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

On the ballot will be multiple competitive primary contests for local offices including sheriff, tax commissioner and multiple seats on the Grady County Board of Commissioners. A countywide referendum on whether to approve a transportation special purpose local option sales tax (TSPLOST) will also be on the ballot.

With concerns over the safety of heading to the ballot box amid the coronavirus pandemic, some residents are choosing to vote by absentee ballot instead. Grady County elections superintendent Denise Maddox said more than 3,200 voters have had their absentee ballot requests received and processed as of Tuesday afternoon, a mark she said is “absolutely” higher than for a typical election.

For city residents, early voting for the special election to determine Cairo’s next mayor also will begin Monday at the Grady Cultural Center. Retired investment adviser Howard Thrower III and private investigator Emory Thomas will face off for the right to fill the unexpired term of former Mayor Booker Gainor.

Mayoral votes can be cast between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. City residents looking to vote early in the countywide elections will need to travel to two locations or request a separate absentee ballot in order to do so.

City clerk Dana Barfield said 114 absentee ballot applications have been received as of Monday evening.

Voters can continue to request absentee ballots until June 5.

The early voting period will conclude June 5.