Some Rockdale County voters were eager to cast their ballots this week when early voting began on Monday, with 1,161 voting either in person or by mail as of Thursday afternoon.

According to Elections Supervisor Cynthia Welch, there 688 Republican, 446 Democratic and 27 Non-Partisan early ballots cast for the July 31 primary and nonpartisan elections. That's about 2.4 percent of the projected turnout. Early voting will be available until July 20 at the elections board office located at 1400 Parker Road.

These figures were announced Thursday during the Board of Elections meeting, which was the second meeting for new member Karen James. Sworn-in on May 25, James is the Democratic representative on the three-member board. Former Democratic member Caycie Dix resigned in March to run for Probate judge.

"I am still getting acclimated to being on that side of the desk - I used to attend the meetings in the past," James said Thursday. "I am looking forward to working with Mr. (Jonny) Brown, Mr. (William) Todd and the board of elections staff. They are very proficient and efficient in their job, which makes it easy for the board."

James also said she is looking forward to visiting the precincts during the July 31 Primary and making sure the voting process is "going as it should."  She has been a Conyers resident for 11 years, is a member of the Rockdale County chapter of the NAACP, and retired from the federal government in 2009.

In November 2011 Rockdale County Superior Court Judge Sidney Nation ousted sitting Democratic and Republican members Garvin Haynes and Lynn Brown for being unable to agree on a third, at-large member. Dix and Jonny Brown, the husband of Lynn Brown, were appointed to replace the outgoing members and eventually picked William Todd Long, a former Rockdale County State Court judge, as the third, at-large member.