Final days of early voting underway
July 24 run-off to determine GOP, Dem statewide candidates for November races
The final days of early voting are almost here, and then it will be time for runoff day in Polk County and across the State of Georgia.
Elections Director Lee Ann George said that more WKDQ YRWHUV KDG WDNHQ part thus far in the summer run-off in person, along with
DEVHQWHH E\ PDLO EDOORWV turned in as well. Next Tuesday’s polling is a follow-up to determine statewide seats on both the Republican and Democratic ballots from the 0D\ SULPDU\
Republicans will select their governor nominee from the two top vote-getters — Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp. Their lieutenant govHUQRU VORW RQ WKH 1RY JHQeral election ballot will be ¿OOHG E\ HLWKHU *HRII 'XQFDQ or David Shafer; and the secretary of state nomination will go to David Belle Isle or Brad Raffensperger.
Democrats just have one runoff — for their state school superintendent nominee. The race is between Sid Chapman and Otha Thornton Jr.
Those who voted in the Democratic primary are ineligible to vote in the Republican runoff, and vice versa. A voter who picked the nonpartisan ballot in May can opt to participate in either party’s runoff.
Also, anyone who wasn’t registered to vote before the April deadline for the May primary also can’t participate in the run-off locally.
Polk County’s seven precincts will be open on July
IRU WKH UXQ RII EXW QR Saturday polling is planned for this round during the three week period. Anyone who wants to get an absentee ballot for the upcoming election can do so by contact the Polk County Board of (OHFWLRQV DW
The Board of Elections RI¿FH ZLOO EH RSHQ GXULQJ early voting – though won’t be a place people can vote on election day itself – and those who want to cast a EDOORW FDQ FRPH IURP a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday through the ¿QDO GD\ EHIRUH WKH SULPDU\ RQ -XO\
No local races are on the ballot for the this month’s run-off, with elections held in late May determining many seats for the year ahead.
Included in those are two new school board members as Vicki Mayes and Britt Madden Jr. won out their seats without any democratic competition to face in November. Mayes defeated incumbent Grady McCrickard in a primary FKDOOHQJH IRU WKH 'LVWULFW seat. Madden won out over 5REHUW )XUU IRU WKH 'LVWULFW seat, being vacated a the end of the year by Jane Hamlett.
The lone county commission race that was contested in the primary was EHWZHHQ 'LVWULFW &RPPLVsioner Jose Iglesias and challenger Gary Martin. Martin won the race and will take on a new four-year term on the county board.
The sole November race that will be contested at the moment is for the DisWULFW VHDW KHOG E\ &RPPLVsion chair Jennifer Hulsey. Hulsey will face Ricky Clark, running as a democrat for the seat.
A special election will also be on the November ballot to determine who will take over the District 3 seat that is currently held by Hal Floyd. He decided to run for the spot held currently by Marshelle Thaxton without opposition in the May primary, and won’t face any challenger in November to retain the seat for another four years.