The early voting is over, campaigns are winding down and primary election day is here. Georgia and Bulloch County voters will take to the polls today to have their say in local and state races.
    Only two local races are contested – the Republican primary for the state representative seat in District 158 between Tom McElwee and Jan Tankersley and the Democratic race for the District 1B seat on the Bulloch County Commission between incumbent Anthony Simmons and Jonathan McCollar.
    However, there are lots of statewide races, including GOP and Democratic primaries for governor. Also, the Georgia District 12 seat in Congress has candidates on both the Democrat and Republican ballots.
    All of the county’s 16 precincts will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. for voting, said Shontay Jones, deputy registrar for Bulloch County. Those who voted by absentee ballot must return their ballot to the county courthouse by 7 p.m. to be counted.
    Not surprisingly, Jones expects a much smaller voter turnout than the 2008 presidential election after slow early voting. She said polls will be busiest during lunch and in the evening when people get off work.
    Jones said voters who have a question about their polling location or registration status should call the county courthouse at 764-6502 or visit vote.ga.gov, where they will be able to find their polling location as well as a sample ballot.
    Voters who cannot immediately verify their registration status can still vote with a provisional ballot.
    “If voters feel like they registered in a timely manner, I would just encourage them to ask for a provisional ballot that way they’re covered if we never received that information,” Jones said. “We have two days to verify that information. We’d rather be safe than sorry.”
    Election results will be counted as polling locations turn their ballots in to the courthouse after they close at 7 p.m. Anyone in line to vote at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Jones said results will be announced periodically throughout the evening as precincts continue to report and votes are tallied.