Runoffs drawing early voters
♦ Both parties are fighting for the secretary of state position, which oversees elections.
More than 1,400 Floyd County voters cast ballots in the first three days of early voting in the runoff elections for secretary of state and a Public Service Commission post.
“Everything’s running smoothly,” said Elections Technician Vanessa Waddell. “(Turnout) is a little higher than an average runoff, but I haven’t heard of any hiccups.”
Today is the last day the Rome Civic Center will be open, but early voting continues through Friday at the County Administration Building, 12 E. Fourth Ave. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All 25 precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the day of the election.
A total of 1,405 voters went in person to the two sites through Wednesday, and Waddell said they’ve mailed out 683 absentee ballots to people — typically elderly or disabled — on their standard list.
They’re also receiving applications on forms distributed by several political or civic groups. Absentee ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Republican Brad Raffensperger and Democrat John Barrow are facing off for the secretary of state position, which oversees elections. Both parties are trying to rally supporters to return to the polls for the decision.
“It seems like every time we vote, we say this is the most critical vote we have ever taken,” Mike Morton told members of the Rome Tea Party at their monthly lunch meeting this week.
“I’m telling you, this is the most critical vote we have ever taken in this nation, in this state,” he added.
Discussion among the members, and attorney
Joel Thornton the guest speaker, focused on the 2020 presidential election and the need to have their candidate at the helm at that time.
The small group passed out yard signs and pamphlets touting Raffensperger, but didn’t mention the other statewide race on the ballot.
Republican incumbent Chuck Eaton is trying to beat back a challenge from Democrat Lindy Miller but is taking heat from the right wing of his party. Debbie Dooley, who chairs the Atlanta Tea Party, endorsed Miller this week, saying Eaton is beholden to the utilities he regulates.
“I trust Lindy Miller to be a strong advocate for consumers and she will stand up to special interest,” Dooley said in an emailed release.
All voters registered by the Oct. 9 deadline for the general election are eligible to vote in the runoff, even if they didn’t vote on Nov. 6.