Right outside the board of elections office at the courthouse is a new display of red, white and blue.

It may be colorful, but its purpose is practical. They are the latest voting booths for the county.

“One of the things that we do in the administration of elections is replacing outdated equipment,” Mark McCown, vice chair of the BOE, said. “Our voting booths are older and falling apart. All of them have been discontinued for years and it’s impossible to get parts.”

To counter this, the board has been looking at different models.

“We looked at this and liked its portability and stow-ability and ease to set up,” McCown said.

The four-carrel booth costs $850.

“If we buy them separately it would be from $150 to $400 for a single booth,” he said.

The booth can be modified immediately to accommodate those in wheelchairs.

“It is easy for poll workers to handle,” McCown said. “We are not looking at making a massive purchase. We are trying to decide upon the booths that we want and replace those as others fall into disrepair. It will be a very long-term, gradual process.

Early voting started on Wednesday as the BOE processed a large number of last minute registrations. The board has also processed 725 requests for absentee ballots.

“For this early, yes that is a lot,” McCown said. “This is pretty decent. We expect over the next weeks to have a lot more. That is a big number to start with.”