Cleveland County voters who want to vote early in next week's special election can vote in-person absentee Friday and Monday, officials with the county election board said today.

The special election -- on a proposed county sales tax to fund a new jail -- is scheduled Tuesday. Regular polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Election Board Secretary Paula Roberts said voters could vote in person at the election board office, 122 S. Peters Ave., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.

"A two-member, bipartisan Absentee Voting Board will be on duty each day to assist in-person absentee voters at the election board," Roberts said.

She said residents voting early need to fill out an application at the election board when they arrive.

"They are not required to state a reason for voting in-person absentee," Roberts said. "They are required to swear that they have not voted a regular mail absentee ballot and that they will not be voting at their polling place on election day."

For voters who became physically incapacitated after 5 p.m. Tuesday, Roberts said state law allows them to vote on "an emergency basis."

"Physical incapacitation includes a variety of conditions," she said. "Such as illness, injury or childbirth; conditions which prevent a person from voting in person at the polls on election day."

Roberts said the Absentee Voting Board verifies a voter's registration information then issues ballots.

"It's very much like voting at a precinct polling place," she said.

For more information, call the Cleveland County Election Board at 366-0210.

M. Scott Carter 366-3545 scarter@normantranscript.com