Early Voting Starts Today

Early voting for the May 24 primary and non-partisan election in Stephens County is getting started today.

Stephens County Registrar Bill Cochran said voting is taking place on weekdays starting today and continuing for the next three weeks.

“It is at the old Courthouse Annex, across from the historic courthouse on the parking lot level, Suite 250,” said Cochran. “We will open the polls at 8 a.m. and they will close every day at 5 p.m. We have a mandatory Saturday vote on May 14. Early voting will end on May 20.”

The courthouse annex is on Tugalo Street in downtown Toccoa.

Those who do not vote early will have to wait until Election Day, May 24, to cast a ballot at the Stephens County Senior Center.

When voting, Cochran said people will have to choose which ballot style they would like to vote.

“Because it is a primary, they will have to declare the ballot style, which is either Democrat, Republican, or non-partisan to vote,” said Cochran. “It is just for the primary.”

Local contested primary races including Stephens County Commission Post Two, Stephens County Board of Education At-Large and District 3, Post 2, Sheriff, 50th District State Senate, Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney, and 9th District U.S. House of Representatives, all appear only on the Republican ballot.

The non-partisan Chief Magistrate election appears on all ballots.

The only partisan contested race on the Democratic ballot in Stephens County is the U.S. Senate primary.

Cochran reminded voters to bring a picture ID when coming to the polls.

“A valid state driver’s license is preferred,” said Cochran, who said a military ID is also among the acceptable forms of picture ID.

Cochran also said that any registered voter that does not have a picture ID should come to the Registrar’s Office in the Stephens County Courthouse Annex in order to get one.

With three weeks of early voting, there is plenty of time to cast a ballot.

However, Cochran said that people do not have to wait until the last minute.

“We urge people to come earlier during that three weeks because it is a big ballot,” said Cochran. “It is going to take a little time.”

To that end, Cochran said people may have to wait in line if there are a lot of voters, since the ballots are longer.

Anyone with questions on voting should call the Stephens County Registrar’s Office at 706-886-8954 or go online to www.sos.ga.gov.