Election day in Athens and across the state

Today is election day in Athens and across the state, with Athens-Clarke County voters deciding races for Sheriff, Coroner, and Tax Commissioner. There are also Athens-Clarke County Commission and Clarke County School Board contests on today’s ballot.

The Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections meets at 4:30 this afternoon.

Oconee County voters have a chance to expand homestead tax exemptions, but they’ll have to sign off on ten ballot questions on today’s election ballots. Oconee County Commission Chairman John Daniell says all ten have to pass; if one does not, the entire package of property tax relief fails.

There are also School Board and County Commission contests in Oconee County. The polls that open at 7 o’clock this morning close at 7 o’clock tonight.

From WSB TV…

Tuesday is Primary Day in Georgia and there is a lot you need to know if you’re heading to the polls. The polls open at 7 a.m.

Voters will be picking candidates in all of Georgia’s 14 congressional districts.

There are a couple of Congressional races that you’ll want to pay attention to.

Rep. Drew Ferguson, who represents Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District, is not running for re-election, which means his seat is up for grabs.

Georgia’s 3rd District covers all Coweta, Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Harris, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson counties. It also covers parts of Douglas, Fayette, Henry, and Muscogee counties.

There are two Democrats and six Republicans running in the race for Ferguson’s seat.

Districts 6 and 7 will also be ones to watch both districts were impacted by the new Congressional maps that were drawn up earlier this year.

District 6, currently heled by Republican Rich McCormick, will shift to a Democrat-leaning district. District 7, currently held by Democrat Lucy McBath, will shift to a Republican-leaning district.

McBath is running in District 6, while McCormick will run in District 7.

The redrawn maps are expected to keep the balance of power in both Congress and at the state level.

Statewide, one of the most closely watched races is the one between Georgia Supreme Court Justice Andrew Pinson and John Barrow, a former Democratic congressman.

Barrow has been positioning himself as fighting for women’s rights as the Georgia Supreme Court continues to decide whether the state’s heartbeat abortion law is constitutional.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is facing a Democratic challenger as she continues to have several large cases currently going through the Fulton County court system, including the Georgia election interference case and the YSL gang trial.

Christian Wise Smith is running against Willis and hopes to overtake her seat. Come November, Willis will also face a Republican challenger, with Alpharetta attorney Courtney Kramer challenging Willis.

“I think the moment she decided to indict President Trump and 19 other defendants was the moment I said I had had enough,” Kramer said.

Any race that does not meet the 50% plus one vote threshold, will go into a runoff.

Georgia is an open primary state, meaning voters can choose whichever party’s primary they want to participate in.

All voters are required to show ID before they can cast a ballot.

Voters who requested absentee ballots but didn’t return them in time can still vote in person, but they’ll have to fill out paperwork at the polls to cancel their absentee ballots. Absentee ballots can also be returned in person to election offices.

To check your registration status or your polling location, CLICK HERE.

©2024 Cox Media Group