VIDALIA — Early voting for the 5th Congressional District race and the Concordia Parish School District’s 10-year millage renewal will continue through Saturday.

Early voting is from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Saturday at the Concordia Parish Registrar of Voters’ Office in the parish courthouse. One does not need an excuse to vote early.

Concordia Parish Registrar of Voters Golda Ensminger said as of Thursday morning 114 people had cast in-person ballots during early voting and 58 had voted by mail-in. Concordia Parish has a total of 13,655 registered voters.

The election will be Oct. 19.

Those who wish to vote early should bring a current Louisiana driver’s license or picture ID, Ensminger said.

On the parishwide ballot is a 13-mill tax renewal for the school district, which is used as debt service for a $4 million bond to finance upgrades to school science labs, libraries and two roofing projects. The millage is also used to supplement employee salaries.

The race for the 5th Congressional District is to fill the unexpired term of Rep. Rodney Alexander, R—Ruston, who resigned effective Sept. 26 after he was appointed the Louisiana Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Fourteen candidates have qualified for the race, including five Republicans:

-Clyde C. Holloway of Ruston

-Vance M. McAllister of Monroe

– “Jay” Morris of Monroe

-Neil Riser of Columbia

-Phillip “Blake” Weatherly of Calhoun

Four Democrats have qualified, including:

-Marcus Hunter of Monroe

-Robert Johnson of Marksville

-James “Jamie” Mayo of Monroe

-Weldon Russell of Amite

Five third party or independent candidates also qualified for the race:

-Eliot S. Barron (Green) of New Orleans

-“Tom” Gibbs (Other) of Fairbanks

-Henry Herford Jr. (Libertarian) of Delhi

-Peter Williams (Other) of Lettsworth

-S.B.A. Zaitoon (Libertarian) of Baton Rouge

The Fifth Congressional district covers Concordia, Catahoula, Tensas, Avoyelles, Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Rapides, Richland, Washington, West Carroll, West Feliciana and Winn parishes, as well as parts of East Feliciana, St. Helena, St. Landry and Tangipahoa parishes.