M C D U F F I E C O U N T Y, G E O R G I A FALL 2015 B O A R D O F E L E C T I O N S & V O T E R R E G I S T R A T I O N Quick Facts Incorporated - 1870 Georgia s 132nd county Voter News Total Area - 259.8 SQ Mi 2013 Population 21,565 MISSION Our mission is to provide honest, sincere, and dedicated service to the citizens of the county; to foster an atmosphere of commitment in assisting, aiding, and implementing those services which benefit the county as a whole; to show no partiality in providing any service; and to promote a spirit of cooperation in all departments REPORT A PROBLEM If you witness or incur questionable election -related activity, please contact the Elections Director immediately at 706-595- 2105. All reports will be investigated and forwarded to proper authority for resolution. Polling Place Changes Beginning with the March 1, 2016 Presidential Preference Primary, many electors of the county will vote at a NEW polling location if they cast a ballot on Election Day. Voters previously voting at the McDuffie Airport Fire Station will now vote at Augusta Technical College (auditorium) Voters previously voting at the Salem Road Fire Station /Emergency Headquarters will now vote at Sweetwater Park Activity Center (former Knights of Columbus, Wire Rd) Voters previously voting at Sweetwater Park Gym will now vote at Sweetwater Park Activity Center (former Knights of Columbus, Wire Rd) Voters previously voting at Dearing Gym, have been reassigned to either Dearing United Methodist Church or Fort Creek Baptist Church. All voters effected by these changes will be notified by mail of the changes and their new polling places. If you would like to confirm your polling place you can always contact our office, or check your polling information online at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov Address to ALL polling places are listed on page 4 YOUR CITY POLLING PLACE HAS NOT CHANGED, THESE CHANGES ARE FOR COUNTY POLLING LOCATIONS ONLY Important Dates 2015 10/5 Voter Registration deadline for eligibility to vote in 11/3 Municipal General Election 10/12 In-Person Absentee (Advance) Voting for 11/3 Municipal General Election starts at Board of Elections/Registration office 10/30 In-person Voting for 11/3 Gen Elec ends Last day to request vote by mail absentee ballot for 11/3 General Election 11/3 General Election held Absentee ballots returned by 7pm
P A G E 2 Absentee Voting Q) What is Absentee Voting? A) Absentee voting takes place when an elector cast a ballot on any day except the exact date set aside for the election, this can be done either in person during early/advance voting, or voting a paper ballot by mail. Q) Who can vote absentee? A) Anyone eligible to cast a ballot may choose to vote absentee, electors are NOT required to provide a reason to vote absentee. Q) When can I vote Absentee? A) You can request an absentee ballot up to 180 days prior to an election, Absentee ballots by mail are available 45 days prior to the election or primary and in-person advance voting available 21 days before date of the election or primary, ballots are available as soon a possible for runoffs. Inperson absentee voting will be offered at least 1 Saturday prior to an election when there is a federal candidate on the ballot. Q) Where can I vote early or absentee? A) Absentee voting both inperson and mail is conducted though the Board of Elections office located 337 Main Street Suite 101 Thomson, GA. 706 595 2105 Q) How can I vote absentee? A) You have the option to vote absentee by mail, inperson during early voting period, to receive a ballot, you must first submit an application 6 Forms of ID 1. A Georgia driver s license, even if expired 2. A valid state or federal government-issued photo ID 3. Valid U.S. Passport 4. Valid government employee photo ID 5. Valid U.S. military photo ID 6. Valid tribal photo ID Q) Will I be required to show a photo ID when I vote? A) Yes, Georgia law requires that you provide a government issued photo id to vote in person (acceptable forms listed at side). Q) Can I receive assistance while voting or casting my ballot? A) Georgia law only allows you to receive assistance in voting if you are unable to read the English language or have a In-person Voting PHYSICAL disability that renders you unable to operate the voting equipment. Q) What happens if my name is not listed on the list of eligible electors at my precinct? A) You will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot (paper ballot), the Bd of Elections will investigate and determine your eligibility to cast a ballot, if the bd finds in favor, your vote will be counted, if the bd finds no proof of registration, your vote will not be counted, You are notified either way. Q) What happens if after I cast ballot, I am unsure if I selected the candidates of my choice? A) The touch screen unit gives you an option of reviewing all of your selections before you touch cast ballot. Once you select cast ballot and your card ejects, you are not able to go back, or cast another ballot. ALL VOTES ARE FINAL! Voter Identification Cards If you do not have one of the six acceptable forms of photo ID, the State of Georgia offers a FREE Voter ID card through our office. Contact our office for additional details (706) 595 2105 To receive a voter identification card, the voter must provide A photo identity document or approved non-photo identity document that includes full legal name and DOB Documentation showing the voter s date of birth Evidence that the applicant is a registered voter Documentation showing the applicant s name and residential address In some instances the elector s voter registration card on file within our office can be used to receive a Voter ID card IMPORTANT NOTE: The cards issued through our office are for VOTING PURPOSE ONLY
CONFIRMATION NOTICES The Georgia Election Code, the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) provide for list maintenance on a regular basis with respect to the voter registration list. We perform daily and monthly list maintenance activities to keep the list of registered voters as up to date as possible. In addition, there are certain list maintenance activities that occur every two years. We will be performing these yearly list maintenance activities in 2015. On June 1, 2015, we will begin printing the confirmation notices to begin the No Contact process. Confirmation notices are generated because 1) mail from the registrar s office has been returned undeliverable, OR 2) the voter s name appears on the National Change of Address file, OR 3) there has been no contact with the voter during three calendar years. A voter is placed on the inactive list of voters because he or she did not respond to a confirmation notice within 30 days. P A G E 3 EXAMPLE OF CONFIRMATION NOTICE Any contact by a voter in an Inactive Status, including voting or signing a petition, immediately returns the voter to Active Status. Any voter who is in Inactive Status is eligible to vote, so long as they meet the residency requirement to do so. Verify Voter Registration Status ONLINE The term no contact means that the voter has not 1) Filed an updated voter registration card 2) Filed a change of name or address 3) Signed a petition 4) Signed a voter s certificate 5) Confirmed his or her continuation at the same address during the preceding three calendar years. All voters whose names appear on the list of electors with whom there has been no contact during the preceding three calendar years and who were not identified as changing addresses under the last National Change of Address process, shall be sent a confirmation notice by forwardable, first-class mail. http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov Voter registration status Mail-In application and ballot status Poll location Early voting locations Elected Officials Registration information on file Sample ballot for the upcoming election Provisional Ballot status
P A G E 4 Polling Places McDUFFIE COUNTY 131 - Queen of Angels 1326 Washington Road 132 - Augusta Tech (Auditorium) 388 Tech Drive 133A - Fort Creek Baptist Church 1497 Ft. Creek Road Dearing, GA 30808 133B - Dearing United Methodist Chruch 161 Church Street Dearing, GA 30808 134 - Vanderhorst Church 639 Main Street 135 - Sweetwater Park Activity Center 2110 Wire Road 136 - Thomson Depot 136 Railroad Street 137 - Marshall Baptist Church 436 Marshall Church Rd Thomson, GA, 30824 139 - White Oak Pentecostal Church 2182 White Oak Road Things to know or do before you vote - Know where to go Check the location of your polling place to confirm it has not changed, call our office at 706 595 2105 or visit website http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/ - Familiarize yourself with the ballot Review the sample ballots for your precinct, this allows you to quickly make your selections before you enter the voting booth, sample ballots are available on the GA Votes App, at the precinct, online, or by contacting our office. - Know when to go Peak voting hours, are generally between the hours of 7am-10am, and 5pm-7pm, avoid the longer lines by going to vote between 10am-5pm. - Know what to do If you are unsure how to operate the electronic voting equipment you can refer to page 6 of this newsletter or stop into our office for a quick hands on demonstration. Have your identification READY when you present yourself to vote, or be prepared to vote provisional *call if you would like an application mailed or emailed to you The Numbers A Snapshot (as of 9/1/2015) Countywide Active Voters -11,364 Inactive Voters 2,925 TOTAL VOTERS-14,289 City of Thomson Demographics By Race Blk - 5,384(37.67%) Wht- 8,363(58.52%) Asia - 39( 0.27%) Hisp - 78( 0.54%) Otr/Ukn 425( 2.97%) CITY OF THOMSON C1- Historic Courthouse 337 Main Street Total Voters - 4,236 Town of Dearing Total Voters -382 By Gender M - 6,267 (43.85%) F - 8,022 (56.14%) C2- City Fire Station 228 McCommons Street C3- Bethel Baptist Church 500 Holt Street BECOME A POLL WORKER Becoming a poll worker is a great way to serve our community and to learn more about the elector process. If you are interested in working at the polls, please contact our office to obtain information on the requirements and duties of a poll worker. Poll Workers are paid for their time and service. V O T E R N E W S
Provisional Voting Information Provisional voting allows you to cast a ballot in person even if all the requirements for doing so cannot be met at the time. The provisional ballot will count if the problem is solved by close of business on the Friday after Election Day. P A G E 5 The three reasons for voting a provisional ballot are: 1. You are unable to show one of the required forms of photo ID when you vote in person; 2. When you first registered to vote in Georgia, you registered by mail, did not provide any identification at that time, and are unable to present acceptable identification the time you vote in person; 3. Your name does not appear on the list of registered voters in the precinct. If you vote a provisional ballot because you did not have acceptable identification, you will have three days from the close of polls to present acceptable identification to our office for your vote to count. If you voted a provisional ballot because your named did not appear on the list of registered voters in the precinct, our office will have up to three days after the election to determine if you were properly registered to vote in the election. If you were, your vote will be counted. If you were not eligible to vote in the election, your vote will not be counted, and you will be notified in writing. If you were eligible to vote but voted in the wrong precinct, only the votes for candidates for you were entitled to vote will be counted, and you will be notified in writing that your ballot was partially counted for your correct precinct. In federal elections only, if the polling place is kept open after 7:00 PM because of a court order, anyone arriving after 7:00 PM will vote by provisional ballot. If you are eligible to vote and the order stand, your vote will be counted. If you qualify within the above noted reason(s), and are not offered a provisional ballot at your precinct, please contact the Elections Director IMMEDIATELY at (706) 595 2105. November 3, 2015 City of Thomson General Election Candidates Mayor John H. Sisson Kenneth L. Usry CITY COUNCIL District 1 Seat A Clifford (Bud) Lunceford District 1 Seat B James T. Jones, Jr. District 2 Seat A John Smalley District 2 Seat B Alton Belton James (Boo) Taylor District 3 Doris (Elaine) Johnson What is UOCAVA Georgia citizens who are either temporarily or permanently overseas and all active military personnel, including their spouses and dependents, are eligible to vote by absentee ballot under The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and Georgia state law. Voter registration and absentee ballot request can be done simultaneously when submitting the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to our office. The FPCA with a customized mailing package and can be obtained by using the FPCA wizard at FVAP.gov. An online version of the Voter Registration/Absentee Ballot Request form is also available. The online version of the form must be mailed in an envelope with proper postage, or mailed using the prepaid return envelope. Your request form must be completed, printed, signed, and dated. Georgia allows your request to be mailed, faxed or emailed (as attachment) to our office. We will handle the processing and distribution of your voter registration application and absentee ballots. We may need to contact you for further information or clarification, to facilitate this process, please provide a current email address, phone and fax number on your application. You must indicate a political party on line 2 of the FPCA if you want to receive ballots for primaries. Note: Military and overseas voters may now choose to receive their ballots either electronically or by regular mail. Please remember to include a valid email address on the application when requesting electronic ballot delivery (EBD).
P A G E 6 How to Operate Touch-Screen Getting Started Making Selections After checking in at your precinct, a poll worker will give you a voter access card. Take your voter access card into any available voting station. Insert the card into the slot at the right of the screen. Place the card face up with the arrow pointing toward the slot. Push it in until it clicks. Once the card is properly inserted your ballot instructions will be displayed. You can enlarge the ballot type to make it easier to see. Voters who cannot read the screen can use voice-guided instructions. The screen may also be tilted to make it easier to see form different heights. To make selections, simply touch the screen. You can move forward on your ballot by touching next or backward by touching previous. To change your selection, touch the box a second time, then make a new selection. The system will not allow you to vote for too many candidates for an office or to vote both yes and no on a referendum question (over-vote). Reviewing Casting Final Step A summary page will show at the end of your ballot. Races that appear in red on the page indicate the race has not been voted. Touching the screen on that race will return you to the under-voted race and allow you to complete making selections if you desire When you are done making selections and have no more changes, cast your ballot by touching Cast Ballot at the bottom of the summary page. Once you have touched Cast Ballot at the end of the summary screen no more changes can be made! Your Voter access card will eject after you have completed voting. Please return your voter access card to the poll worker V O T E R N E W S
P A G E 7 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q) Can I submit a single application and ALWAYS receive absentee ballots A) Georgia law requires that application for an absentee ballot is made prior to each election, however the law does provide for voters who are physically disabled, over the age of 75, or UOCAVA to submit 1 application and receive all ballots for 1 election cycle (primary, primary runoff, election, election runoff), the application is only good for 1 year, and a new application MUST be made for the next election cycle. Q) Can I have someone return my voted absentee ballot on my behalf? A) Georgia law allows ONLY a physically disabled person to designate a relative or an individual residing in the same household to return his or her voted ballot in person or by mail. Q) If I lose the absentee ballot that was sent to me, can I get another ballot? A) Yes, however, you must sign an affidavit affirming that you lost, destroyed, or did not receive the first absentee bal lot. In this instance, another ballot will be issued, A new request is not required. Q) If I request an absentee ballot, can I change my mind and still vote at my polling place? A) It depends a) If the ballot has been voted, returned and received by our office, the absentee ballot shall be deemed to have been voted. No other ballot shall be issued. b) If you still have the ballot and remit it to the poll manager of the precinct in which your name appears, you may sign an affidavit to cancel the absentee ballot, and vote a regular ballot at the precinct. c) If you have not received an absentee ballot, or if you have returned the absentee ballot, but our office has not received the ballot, you may sign an affidavit within our office or at your precinct and be permitted to vote at your regular precinct on election day. Q) Can someone accompany me at the voting compartment? A) No elector shall be allowed to occupy a voting compartment or voting machine booth already occupied by another except when giving lawful assistance. (THIS INCLUDES SPOUSES) *An elector s own child up to age 18, or any child up to age 12 may accompany a voter at the voting machine. Q) Why was my absentee application or ballot rejected? A) There are many reasons which an absentee application or ballot can be rejected, upon our office rejecting any application or ballot, you are notified by mail of the rejection and ways to resolve the issue. If you have additional questions or concerns about the rejection please contact our office immediately. What happens if I move? Voters are required to notify the county board of registrars whenever they move. If you move within the same county in which you are currently registered to vote and fail to notify the registrar at least 30 days prior to an election, you may vote in your old polling location for that election. You MUST file a notice of your new address, or complete an address change at the precinct. If you move outside the county in which you are currently registered to vote within 30 days of an election, you may vote in your old precinct for that election. If you move outside the county in which you are registered to vote in excess of 30 days prior to an election, you have lost your eligibility to vote in the county of your old residence. Your must register to vote in your new county of residence. You will be assigned a new voting precinct and polling location. REMEMBER: If you do not register by the deadline, you cannot vote in the upcoming election!
McDuffie County, Georgia Board of Elections & Voter Registration 337 Main Street Suite 101 PO Box 600 Thomson, Georgia 30824 (706) 595 2105 office (706) 595 0460 fax www.thomson-mcduffie.com http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov Administration Kelvin D. Williams, Director LaQuisha Hart, Clerk The Board Bonnie Martin, Chairman Steve Strouble, Vice-Chairman Milton Gene Walker, Board Member U.S. Senators David Perdue (R) Johnny Isakson (R) U.S. Rep- District 10 Jody B. Hice (R) State Senator - District 23 Jesse Stone (R) GA House District 121 Barry Fleming (R) GA House District 128 Mack Jackson (D) Governor Nathan Deal (R) Lt. Governor Casey Cagle (R) Secretary of State Brian P. Kemp (R) Attorney General Sam S. Olens (R) STATE OFFICIALS Elected Officials Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black (R) Insurance/Fire Safety Commissioner Ralph T. Hudgens (R) State School Superintendent Richard L. Woods (R) Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler (R) Public Service Commissioners Stan Wise, Chairman (R) Charles Chuck Eaton (R) Tim Echols (R) H. Doug Everett (R) Lauren McDonald (R) COUNTY OFFICIALS County Commission -Chairman Charles G. Newton, IV (R) Commissioners Frederick D. Favors (D) - Dist 1B Sammie Wilson, Sr. (D) - Dist 1A William Joping (R) - Dist 2B Paul McCorkle (R) - Dist 2A Clerk of Superior Court Connie Cheatham (R) Coroner J. Foster Wylie (R) Probate Judge Valerie Burley (N) Sheriff Logan Marshall (D) Tax Commissioner Sandra Whitaker (R) Board of Education Gregory Derry, Chair (N) - SD 2 Bea Hart-Moss (N) - SD 1 Jarvis J. McNair (N) - Dist 3 Dorothy Hart (N) - Dist 4 Tinye Harding (N) - Dist 5 Darrell Wells (N) - Dist 6 William Bill Hopkins (N) - Dist 7 CITY OF THOMSON Mayor Kenneth Usry (N) City Council Clifford Lunceford (N) -Dist 1A James Jones (N) Dist 1B John W. Smalley (N) -Dist 2A Alton Belton (N) - Dist 2B Sadie M. Brooks (N) - Dist 3 TOWN OF DEARING Mayor Sean Kelley (N) City Council Allen Axon (N) Judson Story (N) Mike McTier (N) Bobby Aldred (N) (D) - Democrat (R) - Republican (N) - Non-partisan