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Prince George's County voters can cast their primary election ballots early from Friday through Sept. 9 at five county locations.

Early voting was approved statewide in a 2008 referendum, and residents can vote at any one of five early voting sites from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The sites will be closed Sunday, but will be re-open Labor Day. Registered voters must provide their names and have them checked against the voter rolls before they can cast a ballot.

The five locations are the College Park Community Center at 5051 Pierce Ave., the Wayne K. Curry Sports & Learning Center at 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover, the Bowie Library at 15210 Annapolis Road, the Upper Marlboro Community Center at 5400 Marlboro Race Track Road and the Oxon Hill Library at 6200 Oxon Hill Road.

Primary day voting will be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at 223 locations in the county. Unlike early voting, registered voters must go to their assigned poll site to vote on Election Day.

While independent voters can vote in the primary for candidates for county school board, most of the primary elections are restricted to registered Democrats and Republicans. The winner of each party race will appear on the Nov. 2 general ballot. In Prince George's, there are 400,574 registered Democrats and 46,360 registered Republicans. None of the GOP primaries are contested.

County elections director Alisha Alexander said she hopes the early voting window will boost the turnout in the county, where many workers commute to Washington, D.C., and other areas outside Prince George's on a typical weekday.

"Not everyone may have a chance to vote on a typical Tuesday election," she said. "Now, the hope is they can fit voting into their schedule."

Among the positions up for election are county executive, state senators and delegates, County Council members, school board members, governor and congressional seats.

For information on polling locations, early voting and other election questions, visit the county board of elections at www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/elections.

dvalentine@gazette.net