About 200 Republicans got an early start Saturday morning, during the Forsyth County Republican Party’s mass precinct meeting.

“Everything went off like clockwork,” said Ethan Underwood, party chairman. “There were a lot of new faces, which was good because we had a lot of new folks who wanted to get involved.”

The meeting was the first in a two-step process to elect the party’s officers. About 800 delegates were approved to attend the county convention next month and vote for officers.

Delegates did not have to attend Saturday’s meeting at Forsyth Central High School to be selected.

The people who do attend typically handle that for them, Underwood said, often putting “names of neighbors, friends and people they go to church with, as well as other acquaintances.”

During the last precinct meeting two years ago, Underwood said some 650 delegates were selected, about 250 of whom actually attended the county convention.

Underwood said he’s hoping for all 800 this year, but expecting fewer than 300.

Precinct chairs were also elected during Saturday’s meeting.

The county has 27 precincts, just 24 of which will have representation. Keith Bridge, Old Atlanta and River Club will not have a chair.

The county convention is set for March 12.

“I think it will be a great showing for the county convention,” Underwood said.

“The thing I’m most excited about is that we’ve got a lot of new folks that were elected as precinct chairs that are energetic and excited about organizing the Republican Party down at the precinct level.”