Early voting for the November 3, 2009 General Municipal and Special Elections has begun.

In Decatur County, elections will be held for the City of Bainbridge and the City of Climax.

People interested in voting early can do so at the Courthouse Annex, located at 122 W. Water Street in Bainbridge. The office will be open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays through next Friday, Oct. 23. Advance voting will be conducted Monday, Oct. 26 through Friday, Oct. 30, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on weekdays.

Registered voters must show photo identification when voting in person, including

 Georgia driver’s licenses (either valid or unexpired)

 Valid ID card issued by the federal government or State of Georgia

 Valid ID card for employees of the federal, state or any local government

 Valid U.S. passports, military photo IDs, valid tribal photo ID

A free voter ID card can be obtained from the Decatur County Board of Elections and Registration, located at 122 W. Water St., or from the Georgia Department of Driver Services office in Colquitt, Ga.

For more information or to ask questions, voters can call the Georgia Secretary of State’s Elections Division tollfree at (877) 725-9797 or call the Board of Elections and Registration at 243-2087.

People who wish to have their absentee ballot sent to them are not required to provide ID and may obtain ballots by calling 243-2087.

Voters who are unsure of where they vote can use the Secretary of State’s polling place locator at http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/polllocator/ or call the Board of Elections and Registration.