For the first time in the history of Limestone County, more than half the population has registered to vote, an official said Tuesday.

“We have a milestone — today we have 40,000,” said Lee Liveoak, with the Board of Registrars. “That’s a new record. It’s never been done in Limestone County.”

Controversy surrounding one of two issues on the ballot of a special election on Aug. 14 — whether to continue legalized sale of alcohol inside Athens City limits — caused the spike in registrations.

Only Athens residents can vote on that issue. Liveoak said 11,724 city residents have registered to vote Aug. 14.

According to the U.S. Census bureau, the population of Athens was estimated at 20,972 in 2005. Limestone County’s population was estimated at 72,446 in 2006 by the Census.

All residents of Limestone County will vote on the second issue on the ballot, whether to add a 1-cent sales tax to help fund school construction projects.

To vote on these issues, residents must register by 4:30 p.m. Friday in the Board of Registrars office located on the second floor of the Clinton Street annex building.

“To avoid lines, they ought to come in earlier than that,” Liveoak said. “It’s getting to be pretty hectic.”

Registration sent by mail must be postmarked Aug. 3, said Probate Judge Mike Davis.

To place an absentee ballot, voters must have up-to-date registration and fill out a ballot at the Circuit Court Clerk’s office on the first floor of Limestone County Courthouse. Deadline for absentee ballots is 4:30 p.m. Aug. 9.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 117 city voters and 13 county voters had cast absentee ballots, Page said. In the June statewide special election, only 57 absentee ballots were cast countywide.

“I predict with the interest and the fact that these are local issues, we’ll see anywhere from 40 to 45 percent” voter turnout,” Davis said. “You may see a little better than that in the city.”

Davis said that would be a large turnout for an election. Although it is being held in the “heat of summer,” school will be in session and people should be in town to vote, he said. “Timing has everything to do with an election school,” he said.

Polls will be open on Aug. 14 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Returns will come in at the courthouse and Davis said he hopes to have a screen set up at the Clinton Street annex to show returns.