Forsyth County’s elections department is gearing up for a 2011 special election and a busy 2012.

The board of elections discussed plans Monday for the Nov. 8 referendum vote and the March 6 presidential preference primary.

The three-member group met at the elections warehouse, which is being renovated to provide more space for the department and more security for elections equipment.

Poll worker training and machine testing will take place this week for the special election, said Barbara Luth, Forsyth County elections supervisor.

“The staff is preparing supplies for not only the upcoming November election, but they’ve also been starting to prepare things for the 2012 election,” Luth said.

On Nov. 8, voters will decide whether to approve an extension of the 1-cent special purpose local option sales tax, or SPLOST.

Voters must register by Tuesday to be eligible to vote in the special election.

Early voting will begin Oct. 17 at the county administration building, and five locations will be open for advance voting Oct. 31 through Nov. 4.

Since the last Forsyth County election, voters can expect some changes to locations and precincts.

Some advanced voting locations have changed, and hours will meet new state requirements.

Instead of polls being open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily during early voting, the hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Precincts for election days were also adjusted, including consolidation of some precincts, change in polling location and boundary modifications.

The elections board discussed the most notable precinct change, which puts the Cumming city limits all within its own precinct.

All city residents will go to city hall for future elections, Luth said.

“Before they would have to go vote at their county precinct and then go to the city if both had elections,” she said.

The March 6 presidential preference primary will continue with the precinct, location and date changes, and add a Saturday early voting date, required because a federal candidate is on the ballot, Luth said.

“That will be a new experience for us,” board chairman Donald Glover said. “I’ll be interested to see how that works.”