Voter registration ending on Oct. 9 ahead of midterms

Get ready to cast ballots as the November election is now only a little over a month away for local, state and national candidates.

Anyone who isn’t yet registered to vote can still do so before next Tuesday’s (Oct. 9) deadline to get paperwork into Board of Elections office locally at 144 West Ave., Cedartown, within the County Administration building.

Early voting is set to start on Monday, Oct. 15, and continue through Friday, Nov. 2 ahead of the Nov. 6 midterm.

Those who need help in getting registered ahead of this year’s midterms can contact the Board of Elections office at 770749-2103 to get paperwork and find out registration status if getting online to sos.ga.gov/myvoterpage isn’t an option.

There’s several positions up on the ballot locally and statewide for 2018, and many more that are being decided without a vote at all.

In local commission races, District 2 will be decided as a race between Commission Chair Jennifer Hulsey on the Republican ticket, and longtime candidate Ricky Clark, who this year is running on the Democratic ticket.

Hulsey, who is seeking her second term as Commissioner, faced no challenge in the GOP primary in May. Nor did Clark on the Democratic ballot, which is a switch from his previous run as a Republican.

Additionally, this year’s vote features a District 3 special election to fill in the rest of the time left vacant by a resignation from the Commission and later filled by Hal Floyd.

Floyd chose to run unopposed this year for the full four year term in District 3 being left open by a retiring Marshelle Thaxton, and he runs this November without a challenger on the ballot.

To fill in the last years of the Floyd’s current seat, voters will have Jeri Purdy, Larry Reynolds and Ray Carter to choose from in November.

Additionally, statewide races for Governor, Lieutenant Governor and more are up for grabs this year as well. See this story online for a sample ballot of who voters will be choosing this year, or check the Oct. 10 edition for more.

Local and statewide candidates who are seeking seats on the ballot this year are being given a chance to speak to voters in Polk County before the November election.

The Polk County Chamber of Commerce’s Candidate Forum for the fall race is coming on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. in the Polk County Board of Commissioners meeting room at the Polk County Police Department, located at 73 Cline Ingram Jackson Road, Cedartown.