Staff Reports

In case you don't know by now–and you should–it's General Election time in the United States.
The Morgan County Board of Elections and Registration opened its doors for early voters Monday. Early voting in the county will continue through Friday, Nov. 2 (that's the Friday before Election Day), Monday through Friday at the Board of Elections office in Madison. Registered residents can vote from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the elections office at 434 Hancock Street.
An added bonus, for those who can't get to the elections office during the week but want to vote early, the elections office will be open for early voting on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Election Day across the country is Tuesday, Nov. 6, and on that day, voters should report to their respective precincts between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to cast their ballots.
In addition to the presidential race, contested races also include two Public Service Commissioner posts as well as the race for the 25th District seat in the Georgia Senate between Republican Burt Jones and Democrat Darrell Black. Georgia voters will also vote on two Constitutional amendments: the charter schools amendment and another pertaining to multi-year real estate rental agreements.
Locally, a county-wide election will be held between candidates for Tax Commissioner Rennie Nestor, a Republican, and Becky Astin, a Democrat. And residents in District 1 will get to choose between Republican Dick Hodgetts and Democrat Erica Veasley for that district's Board of Education post.
To see what your sample ballot will look like, visit the Georgia Secretary of State's "My Voter Page" at mvp.sos.state.ga.us.

Printed in the October 18, 2012 edition