By Tara DeRock Mahoney
Senior Staff Writer

    Morgan County election aficionados will have a new way to enjoy the election this year as local officials post real-time local results on the worldwide Web for the first time during the state-wide primary on July 15.
    “Citizens can watch election results on the internet at www.morganga.org/elections,” said Elections Supervisor Bobby Howington.
    Howington wanted to remind local voters of several things as they go to the polls a week from Tuesday.
    First, remember that every ballot in the county will not look like the sample ballots, which list every person running for every race in the county (with the exception of candidates running as independents). Not every precinct in the county will vote on every candidate. For instance, Minnie Peek is running for the school board in District One, so her name will only appear on ballots in the Madison East and Apalachee precincts. A further example-Sammy Cathey is running for board of commissioners in District Five, so he will only appear on ballots in the Bethany Springfield and Buckhead districts; his opponent, Betty Straw Brown, is running as an independent and will not appear on the July primary ballot at all. Her name will appear on the general election ballot in November. Citizens should be aware of their districts, and if a name they are expecting to see is not on their ballot, ask a poll worker for clarification.
    Second, know that former candidate for state Democratic senator Wilson “Ben” Mitcham withdrew from the race on May 14 of this year; he withdrew too late to have his name removed from the ballot, but he is no longer running and a vote for him will not be counted.
    Third, remember that some precinct lines in Morgan County have changed since the last election. Affected citizens should have received a new voter registration card in the mail; be sure to check your card and report to the correct precinct to avoid confusion at the polls. Citizens living on one of the following roads in Bostwick may have been moved to an Apalachee polling place: Shockley, Plantation, Lower Apalachee, Mallard Ridge, Mallard Court, Sidwell Road, Athens Highway, Beal Lane, Craig Lane, Long Lane, Beaver Dam, Apalachee, Pintail Lane, Teal Court, and Drake Road. Citizens living on the following roads may have been moved to a Buckhead polling place: Shakerag, Alford Lane, Mt. Zion, Reids Ferry, Parks Mill, Parks Mill Lane, Morgan Drive, Jefferson Court, Franklin Court, Grayson Point, Jacobs Creek, Old Seven Islands, Three Notch, Old Wood, Wood, Wood Cove, Wood Lane, Deer Track, Shadow Lake, Fawnfield Drive, Fawnfield Court, White Oak Way, Dogwood Drive, and Azalea Lane.
Finally, remember that there is likely to be a state-wide run-off election on August 5.
    “There more than likely will be a run-off election,” said Howington, due to the large number of people running for United States Senator on the Democratic ticket. Plan now to vote again in August.