Primary day arrives after thousands cast ballot early
The early voting period has ended, and for some readers today is Primary Day in Polk County.
Starting at 7 a.m., seven of the county’s polling precincts (see the sidebar for locations) will open and remain that way until 7 p.m., and afterward several races locally will determine who will hold seats starting in January 2021.
With early voting’s close last Friday after three weeks of polling places being open after restrictions were lifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers were good considering. Some 2,499 people participated in the primaries — 1,559 of those from Cedartown and 848 during the final week of early voting from Rockmart.
That number does not include the 980 people who had cast a ballot back in March in the Presidential preference primaries before they were shut down and postponed to June, alongside the May local and statewide office primaries for 2020.
Absentee ballots were also saw a larger volume during this primary season, according to local election officials.
Some 3,512 ballots were returned out with votes cast out of the 5,422 that were requested ahead of the June 9 primaries. Those mail-in ballots that were returned to the office via the Postal System or a drop-off box will be added to the
final tally on election night, and likely officials will start to count them early before polls close in order to have enough time to tabulate.
Note that when voters are heading to the polls, they should remember to be mindful of the social distancing requirements like maintaining
six feet of distance, have their photo ID ready to present to polling workers, and should consider bringing a tablet stylus to utilize new touchscreen displays on election machines being used for the first time.
Voters are heading to the polls not only to determine preference of presidential candidates on the Democratic and Republic tickets, but also to decide on several local and statewide races.
Those include the only opportunity for voters to decide on County Commission seats in District 1 and District 2 on the GOP primary ballot. Those races feature incumbent Commissioner Scotty Tillery and challenger James Vines in District 1, incumbent Commissioner Chuck Thaxton and challenger Glenn Robinson in District 2, and the Polk County Probate Court Judge race between current
Polk County Coroner Tony Brazier and Robert “Bobby” Brooks.
The GOP primary ballot also features a State House District 16 race between Representative Trey Kelley and former Commission Chair Jennifer Hulsey, a four-way race in the District 31 State Senate race, and a packed primary for the U.S. Congressional seat for District 14.
Democrats have challengers in all three positions without opposition on the Primary ballot, which means they’ll go to a November challenge between whoever wins on Tuesday on the Republican ballot.
Uncontested races this year include Norman Smith, who will in 2021 take over as the new coroner; a new term for Jack Browning as District
Attorney; Chief Magistrate Judge Jean Crane will retain her seat in the court, along with Stacie Baines as the Clerk of the Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court in Polk County.
Sheriff Johnny Moats will also start a new term in 2021 after he ran without opposition.
Amanda Beck Lindsey also starts a new role as
Tax Commissioner in 2021, taking over for a retiring Kathy Cole.
Tuesday’s balloting also includes competitive U.S. Senate primaries and more.
Check online throughout Tuesday at Polkstandardjournal.com for how precinct vote tallies look, and to find out who won following the close of the polls on Primary night.