Nearly 8500 Can Vote in Jasper on Tuesday

Some 8,494 Jasperites are eligible to vote in the mid-term election next Tuesday, and nearly 10 percent of them likely will have already voted when early voting ends Friday.

More than 800 people had voted by Tuesday afternoon this week, with three days of early voting to go.

A sample ballot was included in the October 14 Monticello News, spelling out all the races that are on the ballot for Jasperites as well as five proposed constitutional amendments and a statewide amendment.

In addition, Jasper County voters are being asked to approve the sale of alcohol on Sunday in restaurants, and to approve the sale of alcohol by the drink throughout the county. Currently, distilled spirits are only available at private clubs in the county.This provision would not allow a liquor store, just sale of alcohol by the drink.

Also locally, voters in Districts 1 and 3 will decide who will represent them on the Board of Education for the next four years. Incumbent Bobby Norris is being challenged by Toyoir Smith-West for the District One non-partisan post. Incumbent Joy Wild is being challenged by Lewis Rice in the District 5 race.

In District 3, Shannon Barton is unopposed in her bid to fill the seat being vacated by Joel Gaston, long-time members of the school board.

Jasper County voters will also help decide who will represent District 125 in the State House of Representatives, and District 25 in the State Senate.

Jasperite Susan Holmes (R) is seeking the House seat vacated by Jim Cole earlier this year. David Gault (D) of Gray is also seeking that seat.
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Incumbent Johnny Grant (R) is being challenged by former Senator Floyd L. Griffin (D) for the Senate seat which includes Jasper County. Both men are from Milledgeville.

In another regional race, Incumbent Jim Marshall (D-Macon) is being challenged by Austin Scott (R-Tifton) for U.S. Representative for the Eighth Congressional District.

In addition, Jasper voters will join those statewide in returning incumbents to office or selecting new people for U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, secreatary of state, attorney general, commissioners of agriculture, insurance, and labor, state school superintendent and public service commissioner.
Also, four non-partisan races are on the ballot, including one for a state Supreme Court justice.

Early voting continues through tomorrow, Oct. 29. Any registered voter who has not voted by then can vote on the regular election day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, betwewen 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at all polling places in the county.

In addition to choosing the persons who will be our leaders, Georgia voters will also decide several other questions.
Georgia Press Association reviewed the proposed amendments for its members, and a synopsis of that review is included below:

Amendment 1
The amendment, instead of promoting competition, will enable mainly out-of-state companies to restrict Georgia employees from going to work for others or starting their own businesses.

Amendment 2
Charges a $10 per passenger car fee to fund trauma care. News articles and statements from health care professionals have made a strong case that Georgia is inadequately served by the existing trauma care facilities and networks. The state Chamber of Commerce is supporting this amendment, and there are two letters in this week’s Monticello News encouraging support of this amendment.

Amendment 3
This appears to be a reasonable method to provide the Georgia Department of Transportation with a measure of additional flexibility in paying for long term contracts. This amendment will allow larger projects to go forward without legal uncertainty.

Amendment 4
This amendment would allow the General Assembly to pass legislation to permit state government entities to incur debt to enter multi-yeara contracts up to 10 years for purposes of energy efficiency or conservation. There is also a safety valve, and the GPA assessment was that it is a win-win situation.

Amendment 5
There is a bipartisan commission currently at work in Georgia to make recommendations concerning the state’s overall tax system. Rather than piecemeal in another exemption, perhaps the wisest course would be to wait for the recommendations of the commission and the passage by the General Assembly of a comprehensive package dealing with taxation and all existing exemptions.
There is much information available and numerous sources to give voters information on the candidates in each race and different viewpoints on the proposed amendments. Voters are encouraged to become educated, and then go to the polls and speak your mind.