Early Voting Starts in E-SPLOST Election

Stephens County voters can begin casting their ballots in the E-SPLOST special election today.

Early voting starts today in the referendum to decide whether or not Stephens County will continue to collect the one-cent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education.

Stephens County Registrar Bill Cochran said early voting is again taking place at the Stephens County Registrar’s Office.

“Early voting will start at 8 a.m. and continue through the day until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for three weeks, through March 17,” said Cochran. “There is no Saturday vote for this election.”

The Registrar’s Office is located in the Stephens County Courthouse Annex on Tugalo Street in downtown Toccoa.

Voters will need a photo ID when casting their ballots.

Cochran also said there is time to request a mail-in, paper absentee ballot for this election.

“I do want to remind everyone that they can still request absentee ballots by mail,” said Cochran. “They can do that up until the end of early voting.”

Election Day itself is March 21. On that day, polling will take place at the Stephens County Senior Center.

The Stephens County school system is requesting a renewal of the one-cent E-SPLOST for another five years, beginning on January 1, 2018.

Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey said the revenues generated from E-SPLOST would go towards maintenance and technology needs throughout the system, as well as CTAE renovations at the high school.

Dorsey went on to say that this would not be a new tax, but a continuation of the one penny that is already being collected.

Anyone with questions about early voting can contact the Stephens County Registrar’s Office at 706-886-8954.