A little less than 11 percent of Bulloch County’s 30,298 active registered voters cast ballots during three weeks of early voting or mailed in absentee ballots. Tuesday, it’s everyone else’s turn, as Bulloch County’s 16 precinct voting places will open from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m. to conclude the Democratic and Republican primaries and nonpartisan general election.
Three weeks of advanced voting, first for two weeks at the County Annex and then for a Saturday plus five more week days at both the Honey Bowen Building at Fair Road Park and the annex, yielded a total of 2,988 voters until advance voting ceased at 5 p.m. Friday, reported Bulloch County Election Supervisor Patricia Lanier Jones.
Additionally, her staff had mailed 359 paper absentee ballots to people who requested them, and as of 3:45 p.m. Friday, Jones reported that 238 of these had been returned. So, a total of 3,226 Bulloch residents had apparently cast ballots as of Friday.
In contrast, 10,911 Bulloch County residents voted early or absentee in the November 2012 general election that included the presidential final, the Statesboro Herald reported at that time. However, only 2,645 people voted early or absentee in the state and local primary that summer, which also included races for sheriff and district attorney, whereas the current race features contested races for sheriff and two judge seats.
Leading up to this week’s election, turnout was particularly disappointing for the one day of Saturday voting, Jones said. Only 183 people voted Saturday, May 24, when both the County Annex and Honey Bowen locations were both available.
Otherwise, 856 people voted early the week of May 2-6, and 608 May 9-13. But 1,341 apparently voted last Monday through Friday, May 16-20. Some also showed up after 5 p.m. Friday wanting to vote, but were not allowed to, Jones said. That was the closing time for advanced voting statewide, except for people who were already in line.
Nor will there be any voting Monday, when a few people usually show up wanting to vote early on the day before the election and it isn’t allowed, she said. The one remaining opportunity is at your assigned polling place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday.
What’s on the ballot
For this election, voters must choose a Democratic Party, a Republican Party or a nonpartisan ballot, but the ballots for the two parties also include the nonpartisan races.
All ballots include the races for Bulloch County Probate Court judge and one Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Superior Court judgeship. Two candidates for sheriff appear on the Republican Party ballot but just one on the Democratic Party ballot. To vote in the race between Jared Akins and Noel Brown, you must select a Republican ballot.
Each party’s ballot contains some state and federal races up to U.S. Senate, as well as some nonbinding position questions posed by the parties.
Some parts of the county also have contested county commission and school board seats.
To see a sample ballot specific to your particular district, voters can log in at the state “My Voter Page” at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.
Tuesday reminders
Voters should bring their picture ID, such as a Georgia driver’s license, state-issued ID card, government employee or military identification or U.S. passport. But they shouldn’t wear campaign hats, candidate buttons or campaign shirts or bring “anything to do with campaigning” into a voting place or within 150 feet of the outer edge of the building, Jones said. A Georgia law forbids campaigning in this zone.
A voter who casts a Democratic or Republican ballot in the primary is barred from voting the other party’s ballot in any July 26 primary runoffs that occur. But this does not restrict a voter’s choices in the Nov. 8 general election, when all voters will receive the same ballot.
Herald reporter Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9458.