Bee County residents have until 5 p.m. Friday to vote early in the Nov. 4 general election and in area school board races.

Beeville residents who live within city limits have until 5 p.m. Friday to cast an early ballot in support of or against the city’s proposal to spend $200,000 annually in 4B sales tax revenue on city streets rather than economic development.

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, 2,581 Bee County residents have cast early votes.

A historical presidential election and two locally contested county races are driving voters to the polls, Bee County Clerk Mirella Escamilla Davis said.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, a black man, is the Democratic nominee for president. He faces Republican challenger John McCain, an Arizona senator whose running mate is a woman, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Locally, Precinct 3 Commissioner Eloy Rodriguez, a Democrat, is seeking a second term of office. He is battling Republican nominee Andrea Gibbud, who presently serves as tax assessor-collector.

Republican Linda Bridge, Gibbud’s assistant, is seeking Gibbud’s post as tax assessor-collector. She will face Vicente Barrera, a Democrat.

Early voting in the county, state and national level is being conducted at the Bee County Courthouse.

School board seats are also up for election in Skidmore-Tynan ISD and Pettus ISD.

Pettus ISD and Beeville ISD also are seeking a tax rate hike, which must be approved by voters.

Early voting for the school districts races and tax rate hikes takes place at the school district’s main office buildings.

Beeville residents who want to cast early votes for or against the city’s proposal to use a portion of the 4B sales tax for infrastructure may cast ballots at City Hall.