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Elections

Early Voting Hours Expanded after Voters Complain of Long Lines
Elections

Early Voting Hours Expanded after Voters Complain of Long Lines

Hundreds of voters turned out on Monday, May 18 for the start of early voting. They were met by long lines and extensive waiting times. Felicia Johnson was among the voters who showed up. She said the process took over four hours. "Bring your patience, chair, umbrella and a snack," she posted on Facebook. "Today it took almost 4.5 hours, but was well worth the wait. I reflected on the blood, sweat, tears and lives that were sacrificed by our ancestors just to be able to vote. 4.5 hours is the least I can do." Others weren't so gracious about waiting around for hours. In response, the Department of Registration & Elections is making adjustments to better accommodate voters. Hours will be expanded so voting will start two hours earlier at 7 a.m. starting today, May 20. Pol...
Early Voting Begins at South Fulton Service Center, Polling Location Changes Announced
Elections

Early Voting Begins at South Fulton Service Center, Polling Location Changes Announced

Early voting for the Statewide General Primary/Presidential Preference Primary Election began today, May 18 at the South Fulton Service Center, 5600 Stonewall Tell Road. Voters can access the facility on weekdays through June 5 from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The center will also be open to voters on Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Four additional locations in Fulton County are also open: Alpharetta Library, 10 Park Plaza; C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center, 3201 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive; Garden Hills Elementary School Gymnasium, 285 Sheridan Drive; and Sandy Springs Library, 395 Mount Vernon Hwy. Voters are asked to wear a face covering and practice social distancing by staying at least six feet apart. Voters are also reminded that they can vote by mail...
Raffensperger Pushes Primary back to June 9
Elections, Statewide News

Raffensperger Pushes Primary back to June 9

Georgia's elections have been pushed back for the second time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced today that the Statewide General Primary/ Presidential Preference Primary Election will be postponed until June 9, 2020. “Due to the Governor’s extension of the state of emergency through a time period that includes almost every day of in-person voting for an election on May 19, and after careful consideration, I am now comfortable exercising the authority vested in me by Georgia law to postpone the primary election until June 9,” said Secretary Raffensperger. “This decision allows our office and county election officials to continue to put in place contingency plans to ensure that voting can be safe and secure when in-person voting...
As May Election Approaches, South Fulton Residents Step up to Lead
Elections, Politics

As May Election Approaches, South Fulton Residents Step up to Lead

Editor's Note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, Election Day has been postponed to June 9. Early voting begins May 18.South Fulton residents will cast their ballots for candidates at the state and county levels on May 19 – and they’ll see a lot of familiar names on the ballot. Former Municipal Court Judges Make Political Statement The first two women to be appointed to Chief Municipal Court Judge in South Fulton, Tiffany Carter Sellers and Fani Willis, have both qualified to run for office in May. Willis is making a play for District Attorney Paul Howard’s seat following allegations of sexual harassment against him. Christian Wise Smith is also a challenger in the race. Sellers is making a bid for Atlanta Judicial Circuit Superior Court. She’s challenging Rachelle Carnesale, the fo...
Presidential Primary: Early Voting in Fulton Begins Today
Elections

Presidential Primary: Early Voting in Fulton Begins Today

Early voting for the Presidential Preference Primary kicks off today. Voters can take advantage between Monday, March 2 through Friday, March 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, March 7 and Saturday, March 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, March 15 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Polls are open at a number of locations, including the Evelyn G. Lowery Library at Cascade, Gladys S. Dennard Library at South Fulton, South Fulton Service Center and Wolf Creek Library. A full list of polling sites is below: Adams Park Library 2231 Campbellton Road SWAtlanta, GA 30311Alpharetta Library 10 Park PlazaAlpharetta, GA 30009Chastain Park Recreation Center140 W. Wieuca Road NWAtlanta, GA 30342College Park Library 3647 Main StreetCollege Park, GA 30337C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center 320...
Mock Election to Help Voters Get Acclimated to New Machines ahead of Presidential Primary
Elections

Mock Election to Help Voters Get Acclimated to New Machines ahead of Presidential Primary

Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections will hold a mock election on Tuesday, February 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.at 13 locations. Voters can participate at the South Fulton Service Center and the Wolf Creek, East Point and College Park Library Branches among other venues. The event will help attendees get acclimated to Georgia's new voting machines ahead of the Mar. 24 presidential preference primary. It will also serve as a training opportunity for election staff. This will be Georgia voters' first use of a paper-ballot system. While the technology is not radically different from the previous system, voters will have an opportunity to view a printout of their selections and then use a scanner to count their ballot as it drops into a locked ballot box. "We encourage peo...
Legislators Hold Movie Screening to Draw Attention to Voter Suppression
Elections

Legislators Hold Movie Screening to Draw Attention to Voter Suppression

Voter suppression is still on the minds of many Georgians following the 2018 midterm election. Local legislators are using a film to encourage dialogue around the issue. Georgia Sen. Nikema Williams, Reps. Derrick Jackson and William Boddie and City of South Fulton District 3 Councilwoman Helen Z. Willis held a screening of the movie Suppressed: The Fight to Vote and a voting machine demonstration on Tuesday, February 4. Residents had a chance to learn about voter suppression and other issues that have plagued Georgia voters, including voter purges, missing absentee ballots and long wait times. “Many people didn’t get their votes counted and felt marginalized during the 2018 midterm election,” said Willis. “I’m fully committed to ensuring residents have an opportunity to exerc...
South Fulton Residents Test New Voting Machines ahead of March Primary
Elections

South Fulton Residents Test New Voting Machines ahead of March Primary

South Fulton residents are getting an opportunity to test Georgia's new voting machines ahead of the March primary. The new verified paper ballot system implemented by Dominion Voting Systems replaces voting machines that Georgia has used since 2002. They are designed to make voting more secure and easier to audit. Most recently, representatives from Fulton County's Registration and Elections Department demoed the machines at Commissioner Joe Carn's townhall meeting in December at The Enon Church, and a citizens townhall at South Fulton Library earlier this week. Several additional opportunities to test the machines are upcoming. The voting machines will be available at Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs' first townhall of the year on Monday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 at Wolf Creek Library, 3100 Enon...
Commissioner Race: 743 Votes Cast at Early Voting Sites, More Candidate Forums Planned
Elections, Politics

Commissioner Race: 743 Votes Cast at Early Voting Sites, More Candidate Forums Planned

Mayor William “Bill” Edwards was one of the first South Fulton residents to cast a ballot during early voting in the election for Fulton County Commissioner in District 6. The former commissioner took to social media earlier this week to “post the peach" and encourage turnout. So far, 742 other voters have followed his lead. Five sites opened on Monday, August 26 for early voting. The highest turnout was at the South Fulton Service Center with 268 votes, followed by the C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center with 205 votes. The Fulton County Government Center and East Point and Fairburn library branches are also open. Voter turnout in special elections and in odd-numbered years, especially in local elections, tends to be lower. After a review of the numbers, candidate Rafer ...

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