Advanced voting for the May 30 primary election got under way with 38 local voters casting their ballots Monday, according to elections officials.

The ballot features contested races for the county's District 1 commission seat and for the state House District 7 post.

Three candidates, Kevin Ellison, Sharon Fausett and Corey Guthrie, are vying to succeed Gary Pichon as the county's next District 1 commissioner. Pichon is not seeking re-election.

In the House race, Sam "Coach" Snider has challenged incumbent Rep. David Ralston for the District 7 post.

Of Dawson County's 12,905 registered voters, 1,178 are in District 7, which spans west from the Emma community at Crane Road on Hwy. 136 and Afton Road on Elliott Family Parkway.

The elections likely will be determined in the May 20 primary as no Democrats qualified for the race.

The early voting period runs through May 16 at the Dawson County Board of Elections and Voter Registration office located at 96 Academy Ave., Dawsonville.

The office is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Votes can also be cast from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at the same location.

Sample ballots are available online and at the elections office. Registered voters must present one form of photo identification before voting.

Those include: Georgia driver's license; valid state or federal government-issued photo ID; U.S. passport; U.S. military photo ID; tribal photo ID; or an employee photo ID from any federal, state or local government.

The Dawson County website advises voters who have questions to visit the "My Voter Page" at http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ to find polling places, maps and more information.

For more information, call the elections office at (706) 344-3640.