Voter Registration Deadline Nears

With results of this week’s New Hampshire primary reverberating in the headlines and a procession of other state primaries on the horizon, Georgians are just over a month away from their opportunity to have a say on which Democratic candidate will oppose President George W. Bush in November.

In fact, absentee ballots are already available at the Board of Registrars office in the Jasper County Courthouse for the state’s Presidential Preference Primary on March 2. But to use them, or to vote in person, voters have only until the close of business next Monday, Feb. 2, to make sure their registration is current.

They can register at the registrar’s office or numerous other locations. Complete information is available at that office, phone 706-468-4908.

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By the time Georgians vote some of the names on the ballot will be meaningless. Of the nine who were running when the ballots were set two, Carol Moseley Braun and Dick Gephardt, have dropped out, and others may well do so as other primaries take their toll.

Remaining in the running this week, in order of their finish in New Hampshire, are John F. Kerry, Howard Dean, Wesley K. Clark, John Edwards, Joe Lieberman, Dennis J. Kucinich and Al Sharpton. There also will be a Republican ballot, but it bears only the name of President Bush. Voters may vote in either primary.

Georgia voters also will express their preference on two state flag designs, the current one adopted last year or the one adopted in 2001 and replaced. The controversial design featuring the Confederate Battle Flag will not be an option.

Absentee ballots are available for voters who will be away from home, incapacitated or otherwise unable to get to the polls on election day.

In addition, Georgia now permits “early voting.” In the last week before the election—Feb. 23-27 in this case—any qualified voter may cast an absentee ballot at the Registrars Office.