The coronavirus pandemic and a controversial incumbent president have caused a flood of early voting nationwide — so much that one national election observer is predicting a record turnout and the highest rate of voting in 112 years.
    And if that happens, judging from early voting so far, Chase County will have done its part.
    Citing figures from the United States Elections Project, which gathers data on early voting, Reuters reported last week that more than 4 million Americans already have voted. That is 50 times the number by this time in 2016.
    Wendy Moe of the Chase County Clerk’s Office said early voters so far have cast twice as many ballots as they had by this time in 2018.
    The Nebraska Secretary of State began mailing out early voting applications statewide Sept. 11. So far, Moe said, the county has received 451 early ballot requests and has gotten 171 of those back as of Oct. 8.To read the full storyy, subscribe to the e-edition online or call the Breeze at 308-394-5389 to subscribe to the print edition.