Early Voting Begins Monday

Early voting for the July 18 primaries begins Monday in Jasper and across the state, and voters who don’t have a driver’s license or other acceptable photo ID can get a free voter ID card at the Courthouse.

The Democratic ballot for the primary is headed by a sizzling race between Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor and Secretary of State Cathy Cox, aspirants for the gubernatorial nomination to face, almost certainly, Gov Sonny Perdue in the November election.

A heated race between state Sen. Casey Cagle and Christian Coalition mentor Ralph Reed who are seeking to replace Mr. Taylor in the number two state government slot, highlights the Republican primary ballot.

Next Week:
•Sample Ballots
•Streamlined Voting Procedure

There are several other candidates in both those races and there are contested races in one party or the other for virtual every statewide constitutional office. All seats in the General Assembly also are up for grabs, but the legislators representing Jasper and their prospective challengers have no primary opposition; those contests will be resolved in November.

Jasper Chief Registrar Carole Norris reported late last week that 66 absentee ballots had been mailed—36 Democratic and 30 Republican. A few more absentee requests were pending and a half-dozen voters had already cast absentee ballots at the Registrar’s Office.

The early voting that begins next week does not entail an absentee ballot request; a voter may simply come to the office on the ground floor of the Courthouse, show proper identification and vote on the machine there. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, July 10-14.

The Registrar’s Office began issuing the new Georgia voter ID cards last week. To receive one a resident must show any of a number of documents to establish that he or she is a Georgia resident, has a valid address for voting, and sign a statement that he or she does not possess a driver’s license or other acceptable voter ID.

Though non-photo documents, such as a birth certificate or tax return, may be used to obtain the ID card, actual voting at the polls or early voting requires one of only six kinds of photo identification specified by the Georgia law that recently survived court challenges.

More information is available from the Registrar’s Office, Phone 706-468-4908.