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A statement was made loud and clear by voters on Saturday, with nearly 900 people taking advantage of the only weekend day available for early voting during the current run-off election.

A few weeks ago, when the idea of adding Saturday voting day came up, we wrote that the timing of the entire election — right after Thanksgiving — was the bigger issue. 

We were wrong. After hearing the argument of many in the community about Saturday voting, it’s clear a weekend day was needed in this election cycle. The numbers prove it. 

We’ll never know how many of the people who voted Saturday did so out of convenience as opposed to necessity — or how many were simply just making a statement — but it doesn’t matter. 

The fact is 900 votes were cast by people who felt compelled to get off the couch and cast a ballot on the weekend after Thanksgiving.

We didn’t expect that sort of a turnout, especially in a six-hour window. 

We often write after elections that we were disappointed by the turnout, that so few people took a few minutes to participate in such an important citizenship right. But we don’t have to say that this time, at least not based on Saturday alone.

What a start. It’s certainly something to be proud of.

Now, let’s keep it going. We hope to see huge numbers continue during early voting this week at the Troup County Government Center and next week on Election Day.