Here’s a timely reminder from Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey. October 12 is the deadline to get registered for the November election.

Baack-Garvey says she is expecting a huge turnout in the election locally, and she thinks many if not most are lining up to vote against someone. The County Clerk’s Office will be open until 7pm Wednesday to handle an expected rush. They also plan to have a registration booth at Ray’s Green Hills on the North Belt from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“Especially after this second debate, I think the people are really wanting to come out and voice their opinions at the polls, and they want to make sure they’re registered,” Baack-Garvey said. “They’re going to do what they can to get registered, and we’re going to do what we can to make sure they are registered.”

If you’ve moved, or changed your name, or for whatever reason you’re not sure if you’re registered, you should call.

“I highly recommend they give us a call, and we’ll let them know right away what they need to do and what their status is.”

To register to vote, visit the Clerk’s Office in person, or the booth at Green Hills, or you can go online.

“On the Secretary of State’s Web site, there’s a form on there you can download, and as long as it’s postmarked by tomorrow’s date, it will still be accepted,” Baack-Garvey says.

As to turnout, Baack-Garvey tells us she’s expecting possible record numbers, even compared to 2008.

“We hit almost 77%, and that’s enormously high,” she said, “so we have a feeling that, with the platform of candidates that are going to be on the ballot, I think people are going to come out and vote, not necessarily as support, but more of anti- the other one getting into office,”

“We just have a feeling the voting is really going to hit over 80%.”

They’re not taking any chances though, and have ordered more than enough paper ballots to cover 100% turnout.