Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Dustin Bairfield is gearing up for a busy Saturday since May 31 is the deadline to vote absentee in person in the clerk’s office for the June 3 primary election.

Bairfield said as of Friday morning 179 absentee ballots have been voted in his office so far in this election, and his office has mailed out 107 absentee ballots, plus two more that were sent to military personnel.

The clerk’s office will be open from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday to accommodate last-minute absentee voters.

“We’ve been seeing a little more activity with absentee voting every day, so if that continues to be the case, tomorrow will be pretty busy,” Bairfield said Friday morning.

The clerk’s office also is still taking requests for mailed absentee ballots, but all mailed absentee ballots must be received by the circuit clerk by 5 p.m. Monday, June 2.

“We’ll check the post office box right at 5 Monday,” Bairfield said.

The circuit clerk’s office is located on the second floor of the Lincoln County-Brookhaven Government Complex and is also open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On election day, June 3, the clerk’s office will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Bairfield noted. The office phone number is (601) 835-3435.

Those qualifying to vote absentee can cast their ballot at the circuit clerk’s office in person or they can call the circuit clerk’s office and request a ballot be mailed to them.

Voters who wish to vote absentee are required to fill out and sign an application stating the reason they cannot vote on election day. Acceptable reasons for voting absentee include military service, having to work during voting hours on election day or having to care for a sick relative outside the county on election day.

Voters also should bring a photo identification card with them when they come to the clerk’s office to cast their absentee ballot. The June 3 party primaries for the U.S. Senate and Third Congressional District will be the first election under Mississippi’s new photo ID law.

For a list of acceptable photo IDs, please go to the Mississippi secretary of state’s web site at msvoterid.ms.gov/Pages/VoterIDAcceptID.htm.

The polls in Lincoln County and across the state will be open for voting Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

(NOTE: A complete list of Lincoln County voting precincts and a sample ballot will be included in the Sunday edition of The Daily Leader. This information also is available at dailyleader.com.)