BAY MINETTE, Alabama — About 10 percent of eligible voters have cast ballots in the Amendment 1 election as of 3 p.m. today, according to Baldwin County Probate Judge Tim Russell, who is crisscrossing polling sites throughout the county.

Russell predicted and expects his prediction of 20 percent turnout later as voters return from work and hit the polls.

“Based on what I am seeing, I still expect 20 percent,” Russell said early this afternoon.

“Daphne and Fairhope polling sites are at 10 percent, but people will get off work and head to the polls. People are coming off city elections last week, but I still anticipate 20 percent.”

Russell said Monday he is sensing county voters may lean toward passage of Amendment 1 today.

The statewide amendment, the only item on the ballot, would authorize $437 million to be moved from state trust accounts into the general fund for governmental services, predominantly maintaining Medicaid at existing levels.

Polls will be open countywide until 7 p.m. Ballots will be transported to the Baldwin County Administration Building in Bay Minette for public tallying when polls close.

Russell said the first returns should be available by 7:30 p.m. Results will be published incrementally  and collectively and posted at baldwincountyal.gov, probate, with a 10- to 15-minute real-time delay.