Runoff for Dougherty School Board District 2 seat on tap for Tuesday

Alan Mauldin Author email, The Albany Herald, Ga.
·2 min read

Jul. 10—ALBANY — When Albany voters return to the polls Tuesday for a special election for a Dougherty County School Board seat, it will be the last election on tap until the fall, when three City Commission seats are up for re-election.

Polls for the District 2 school board race will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at six polling locations.

After a dismal turnout of 9.11 percent in the June 15 special election that winnowed down from six to the two runoff candidates, Norman Gaines-Heath and Alma Noble, requests for absentee ballots picked up for the runoff, Dougherty County Elections Supervisor Ginger Nickerson said.

The winner will finish out the unexpired term of long-time board member Milton "June Bug" Griffin, who died in February.

"We mailed out approximately 150 ballots with 30 of them being returned so far," Nickerson said. "We mailed out more than we did for the initial election."

The early voting period was shortened by one day due to polls being closed on July 5 for the Independence Day holiday.

Absentee ballots must be received by 7 p.m. Tuesday in order for them to be counted. Voters may drop off absentee ballots at the Elections office at 222 Pine Ave.

There are about 10,500 eligible voters in the School Board district. The six voting precincts for the election are 10, 11, 12, 18, 19 and 26, located at Mount Zion Church, Alice Coachman Elementary School, Carver Teen Center, Morningside Elementary School, Radium Springs Middle School and Lamar Reese Elementary School.

Nickerson said it is important for voters to participate in elections, including special and runoff elections, for which there often is little turnout.

"It is extremely important for people to exercise their right to vote," she said. "This is your local government. These are people you can reach out to, you can actually call them and get in touch with them. All elections are important to us."

After Tuesday, the next election will be for Albany City Commission Wards II, III and V, with the qualifying period for the fall election running from Aug. 16-20.