Early voting starts strong

Kasmira Smith and Kevin C. Hall, The Moultrie Observer, Ga.
·5 min read
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Oct. 18—MOULTRIE, Ga. — Early voting jumped out to a fast start in Colquitt County and across Georgia on Monday. Meanwhile, two Colquitt County towns are holding municipal elections separate from the county and state races.

Colquitt County Registrar Paula McCullough said 335 voters cast ballots on the first day of early voting. Sixty more had cast ballots just an hour after the voting site opened on Tuesday.

In addition, McCullough said she had mailed 420 absentee ballots as of Tuesday morning with more ready to go out. A voter can still request an absentee ballot; McCullough said her office can distribute them through Oct. 28.

All Colquitt County voters can vote early in county and state elections from Oct. 17 to Nov. 4, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, Oct. 22 and 29. All of these votes will be cast in Room 201 of the Colquitt County Courthouse Annex, 101 E. Central Ave.

Stanley Dunlap of Georgia Recorder reported a record-setting first day of early voting across the state.

Across Georgia, some voters waited in long lines and the state's voter registration system crashed multiple times, Dunlap wrote. Voting rights groups reported that in about a dozen counties some people waited more than an hour to cast ballots for governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state Legislature, and U.S. Senate. Despite the Cobb County Elections website listing a 45-minute wait at Smyrna's center on Monday afternoon, several voters said there was a much shorter wait to cast their ballots.

McCullough did not mention lines or delays when describing voting in Colquitt County, but she did say turnout was greater than she'd expected.

City of Doerun

The City of Doerun will have three city council vacancies — Posts 3, 4 and 5 — in this year's local election, according to Doerun City Clerk Kimberly Taylor.

Dewayne Turpin is the only candidate for Post 3, and Mike Blair is the only candidate for Post 4. Randy Dalton and Willie D. Slaughter are opposing candidates for Post 5, Taylor said.

Doerun residents can cast ballots in the city election at the council chambers in Doerun's city hall, 223 W. Broad Ave., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, Oct. 24 through Nov. 4, as well as on Election Day, Nov. 8. This is not the place where they will vote in county and state races, neither during early voting nor on Election Day.

City of Norman Park

In a phone interview Thursday morning, Norman Park City Clerk Hope Amador said there will be two referendum questions on the Norman Park city ballot: One to allow Sunday alcohol sales and the other to allow the sale of distilled spirits. No elected offices are on the city ballot.

Norman Park residents should report to the Norman Park City Hall, 154 E. Broad St., Norman Park, for the city election. Early voting for city elections will take place Monday, Oct. 17, to Friday, Nov. 4, from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Election Day voting will take place at the same location on Nov. 8. This is not where Norman Park residents will vote in county and state races, neither during early voting nor on Election Day.

The cities of Moultrie, Berlin, Ellenton and Funston will not host any city elections this year.

On Election Day

Voters who do not take advantage of early voting or absentee-by-mail options can cast their ballots on Election Day, Nov. 8.

Those in Doerun and Norman Park can cast ballots in those cities' municipal elections at their respective city halls, just like during early voting, but they will vote in county and state races elsewhere.

Voters throughout the county who do not vote early or by absentee ballot can report to their assigned precincts between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 8:

* Autreyville — Autreyville Volunteer Fire Dept., 2493 Ga. Hwy. 33 S., Moultrie, GA 31768.

* Bridge Creek — Pine Grove Baptist Church (Social Hall), 4103 Bay Rockyford Rd., Moultrie, GA 31768.

* Crosland — 155 J.P. Perry Rd., Crosland, GA 31771. (Crosland Baptist Church, Social Hall).

* Doerun — Doerun Community Center, 212 W. Broad St., Doerun, GA 31744.

* Funston — Funston City Hall, 115 W. Mulberry St., Funston, GA 31753.

* Hamilton — Hamilton Volunteer Fire Dept., 240 Ga. Hwy. 202, Meigs, GA 31765.

* Hartsfield — Hartsfield United Methodist Church (Social Hall), 158 Bryan Rd. (off Ga 37), Hartsfield, GA 31756.

* Hopewell — Child Development Center, 570 Jonah Tillman Rd., Moultrie, GA 31768.

* Lee — Lee Courthouse, 1230 Cannon Rd., Moultrie, GA 31768.

* Mill Creek — Schley Baptist Church Social Hall, 231 Schley Church Rd., Moultrie, Georgia 31768.

* Monk — Monk Courthouse, 5063 Ga. Hwy. 33 N., Moultrie, GA 31768 in the New Elm Community.

* Moultrie — Tommy Meredith Gym, 1100 11th Ave. S.W., Moultrie, GA 31768.

* Murphy — Temple Baptist Church, 2138 U.S. Hwy. 319 South, Moultrie, GA 31768.

* Norman Park — Front Lobby of Brand Hall, located on the old Norman College campus, 4243 U.S. Hwy. 319 North at Weeks St., Norman Park, GA 31771.

* Robinson — New Berlin City Hall, 283 Langford St., Berlin, GA 31722.

* Shaw — A.F. Shaw Gym, 616 Fifth Ave. NW, Moultrie , GA 31768.

* Thigpen — Thigpen Courthouse, 6565 Thigpen Trail, Doerun, GA 31744.

* Ty Ty — Ty Ty Community Building, 4182 Ellenton-Omega Rd., Omega, GA 31775.

* Warrior — Ellenton City Hall, 103 North Baker St., Ellenton, Ga.