Early voting continues through May 24

Turnout is up significantly

People seem eager to vote this year. Catoosa County Elections Director Tonya Moore says that as of May 10, early voting has been more than four times what it was the same time in 2018, the last mid-term general primary.

The first week of early in-person voting this year, says Moore, resulted in 1,734 ballots cast — 4.7 times more than 2018’s 369 in-person votes during the first week of early voting.

Counting absentee votes, 2,187 people voted the first week of this year’s general primary. There had been 1,769 votes logged in the special election for Catoosa County Board of Commissioners chair position.

There is still time for voters to get to the polls early. Following is the early voting schedule as well as information about final voting day (May 24). For full information about elections, including candidates, precincts and sample ballots, visit: www.catoosa.com/departments/view-all-departments/ elections-voter-registration.

EARLY VOTING SCHEDULE FOR CATOOSA COUNTY

Even if you don’t like the selection of candidates, you’ll like the variety of voting dates.

Early voting: Monday through Friday, May 2 through May 20, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday voting: May 7 and May 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Extended hours voting: Thursday, May 19, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There is no voting on Monday, May 23.

Last day to vote: May 24, 7 a.m. to7 p.m.

If a June 21 runoff is necessary, voting dates will be June 13, 14, 15 and 17, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and June 16, 8 a.m. to7 p.m.

WHERE TO VOTE

While Catoosa County boasts 11 voting precincts, you only get to choose from two during early voting:

♦ Ringgold voting precinct (aka, Freedom Center), 5238 Evitt St. Ringgold, Ga.

♦ Westside voting precinct, 3319 Lakeview Dr. Rossville, Ga.

SPECIAL ELECTION

The special election to fill the vacated District 5 (countywide) Catoosa Board of Commissioners seat will be held on the same dates and at the same places as the general primary, but it is actually a separate election. Voters will use one voting machine for this election and another for all the other races. Poll workers will be available to help.

THE FINAL DAY

On the big, last-chance voting day in the general primary, May 24, voters must go to their assigned precincts.