NEWPORT-Early voting for the November 6 election ended Thursday afternoon with a rush of people lining up to cast their ballots.

At the end of the day, according to Joyce Slagle, Cocke County Administrator of Elections, a total of 5,688 people had taken advantage of early voting opportunities. While this number is high, it falls short of the 6,063 people who voted early in the 2008 election.

"At one time, people were lined up down the hall and out the door," said Dawn Williams, Slagle's assistant.

"This number does not include people voting by mail," added Slagle, who said such ballots will be accepted by her office as long as they arrive by the time polls close on Tuesday at 8 p.m. 

For more details, please see the latest edition of the Newport Plain Talk.