More than 11,600 Montgomery County residents have participated in the first five days of early voting for the July 14 runoff election.

Through July 5, 8,533 county Republicans and 3,160 Democrats voted in person or via absentee ballots. Early voting began June 29 and remains open to registered voters July 6-10.

Daily in-person voting tallies held relatively steady for both parties through the first four days of early voting before leveling off after Independence Day. The vast majority of absentee ballots for both parties were recorded on the first day of early voting, although several hundred absentee ballots were added from June 30-July 2. Absentee voting habits so far have differed between members of both parties. Of the Republican early ballots cast so far, 4,664 were in person, while 3,869, or 45.34%, were absentee. Among Democrats, just 1,200 ballots were cast in person, while 1,960, or 62.03%, were absentee. Eight voting sites and the office of Elections Administrator Suzie Harvey remain open this week for early voting from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Harvey's office is open only to voters casting limited ballots, with special forms of early voting or for ballots by mail.