Early voting in Cobb County: When and where to cast ballots

Crisp air, lower temperatures, pumpkin-spice everything. It seemed like Nov. 8 general election was far away, and then it wasn't.

Presidential options appear as set as they can be this election cycle, but closer to home, there's plenty to talk about in Cobb County, including park lands.

Between local and national antics, expect folks at the voting booths. So how do you avoid those lines?

Voters in Cobb have the opportunity to cast their ballot early. More than 3,700 Cobb residents showed up on the first day of early voting.

Early voting in Cobb runs from Oct. 17 to Nov. 4.

During that time, voters can cast their ballots at the main Cobb elections office, 736 Whitlock Ave., or the Cobb County Civic Center, 548 S. Marietta Parkway.

You can vote Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Saturdays (Oct. 22 and 29) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

You can see Cobb voting wait times using a handy-dandy map from the Cobb elections office that updates four times a day, according to Janine Eveler, head of Cobb elections.

Here's some tips from Eveler herself:

» The Civic Center location has an indoor waiting area and more machines so we recommend voters try there first.

» The peak voting times are between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

» The shortest wait is early morning and right before the location closes.

And from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, you can vote at one of nine locations from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

Austell: South Cobb Recreation Center, 875 Six Flags Drive

Kennesaw: NorthStar Church, 3413 Blue Springs Road NW

Mableton: South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Drive

• East Cobb Government Service Center, 4400 Lower Roswell Road
• Noonday Baptist Church Sanctuary, 4120 Canton Road
• East Cobb Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road

• Boots Ward Recreation Center (Lost Mountain Park), 4845 Dallas Highway
• Ron Anderson Recreation Center (Wild Horse Park), 3820 Macedonia Road

Smyrna: Windy Hill Community Center, 1885 Roswell St. SE