Interest Is Low for Tuesday’s Election

More than 7,000 Jasper residents are eligible to vote in next Tuesday’s party primaries, but preliminary indications are that most will pass on the opportunity to pick key candidates to vie for Georgia’s top elective offices in the November elections.

Only marginal interest is reflected by a meager 123 absentee ballot applications mailed through Tuesday. Ballots mailed included 81 Democratic, 42 Republican. Early voting, which started Monday, also was relatively slow; 35 voters had cast ballots by Tuesday in addition to five who previously voted absentee in person, said chief registrar Carole Norris.

The 7,314 voters shown on the latest compilation is a significant increase over the 6,008 eligible for the last major election—the 2004 general election with a presidential race at the top of the ballot. Turnout then topped 70 percent, but most observers doubted that half that percentage would participate next week.

Voting Tuesday will be streamlined with a new “express” system replacing the pen-and-paper method that voters here are accustomed to. When a voter fills out his or her ballot application slip a poll worker will no longer have to check the name in a on a massive voter list.

Rather, the name will be entered into a computer and, assuming the voter is properly registered, the card to activate the voting machine will be issued there. Previously, the card was issued at a separate station.
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Probate Judge Linda Mock, who also is superintendent of elections, said the number of poll workers on hand for this election will not be reduced significantly since the system is new. But eventually the number of poll workers will be trimmed somewhat, saving taxpayer dollars, she said.
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As evident from the accompanying sample ballots, few incumbents seeking reelection face serious opposition within their own party. But there are hotly contested races in both parties for several key races, presumably making it tough on some to decide what primary to vote in.

In Georgia’s open primary system, a voter may choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot without declaring allegiance to a party. However, he or she must vote in the same party in any runoffs required on Aug. 8 in races where no contender receives a majority.

Races making most headlines, of course, are the dogfight between Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor and Secretary of State Cathy Cox for the Democratic nomination for governor, and between state Sen. Casey Cagle and prominent political consultant Ralph Reed for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.

Four Democrats are seeking the lieutenant governor’s seat being vacated by Mr. Taylor, and there are 10 candidates, six Democrats and four Republicans, after the secretary of state’s job that Ms. Cox is leaving. Several other races promise tight contests, but in many others the stage for November already is set.

In one of those, Jasperites will be voting in a different congressional district, the eighth, because of redistricting. In that race Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall almost certainly will face former congressman Mac Collins who has only token opposition for the GOP nomination. Jasper’s Republican representatives in the state legislature are unopposed in the primary, as are the Democratic contenders for their state Senate and House seats.

Questions regarding voter registration may be directed to Mrs. Norris, 706-469-4908; general election questions to Judge Mock’s office, 706-468-4903. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Voter I.D. Law Is Still In Dispute

Voters in Tuesday’s primaries may or may not have to show a photo ID as required by a new state law. A Superior Court judge has ruled the law unconstitutional, and that ruling is being appealed by the state to the state Supreme Court.

If the ruling stands, voters may use any of the 17 forms of identification previously allowed. If not they will have to have one of six types of photo identification issued by government entities stipulated in the new law.

Those eligible may obtain the new voter ID cards issued at the Registrar’s Office up to and during election day.